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This page offers all of Delaware Public Media's ongoing coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak and how it is affecting the First State. Check here regularly for the latest new and information.

Make-A-Wish Foundation starts "Messages of Hope" during COVID-19 pandemic

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has needed to think outside the box to grant “wishes” for children with critical illnesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants about 30 “wishes” every month to sick children. However, that has come to a screeching halt because of Coronavirus since many “wishes” involve travel and large gatherings.

“About 80% of all of our “wishes” contain a combination of both of those things; travel “wishes” and concerts or ball games or whatever in a large gathering,” said Dennis Heron, the president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware and Susquehanna Valley.

 

He says nine of 60 “wishes” scheduled to be granted in recent months were for Delaware children, but got cut when the outbreak started.

 

But Heron notes that to keep giving sick children hope, the Make-A-Wish Foundation  started “Messages of Hope.” 

 

“This actually really started with our celebrity wish-grantor Ryan Reynolds creating a terrific video looking out to the kids whose wishes have been postponed with a message of his own to say “keep your chin up, you’re going to get your wish, please keep your spirits high, this is just something that’s another bump in the road,” Heron said.

 

Heron encourages others to submit uplifting videos, and even videos that will make kids laugh at their website.

 

Kelli Steele has over 30 years of experience covering news in Delaware, Baltimore, Winchester, Virginia, Phoenix, Arizona and San Diego, California.
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