Wish of Wish-makers
December 3, 2007
Fifteen-year-old Andrew Quinn says the luckiest day of his life was in April of 2006, when he fell down the stairs at home. X-rays showed a broken collarbone—and a rare bone cancer.
Had doctors not detected it in the early stages, “it would have been too late,” he says.
Andrew went through a grueling treatment of chemotherapy and radiation. But even before his hair had grown back, he and his family hopped on a plane saying, “We’re going to Disneyworld!” thanks to the folks at the Make-a-Wish-Foundation of New Jersey (www.wishnj.org).
Since 1983, Make-a-Wish of New Jersey has granted some 5,400 wishes for children like Andrew, with life-threatening illnesses. This past Friday, the wish-makers broke ground for their own wish: a “Wishing Place” in Monroe Township that when completed next year will serve as a magical fairy-tale castle where seriously ill children “can believe once again that wishes can come true.”
We and our camera crew covered the ceremonies for Caucus New Jersey (www.caucusnj.org) with Steve Adubato
The child-centric building—the only of its kind on the East Coast and one of just three like it nationwide—will be named in honor of the parents of Joe Plumeri, chairman and CEO of Willis Group (www.willis.com), the global insurance broker, who donated $2 million to Make-a-Wish. Jack Morris, CEO of Edgewood Properties (www.edgewoodproperties.com), and his business partner Joe Marino will donate their services as general contractors to build the Disney-like castle, which will go up on 14 acres donated by Morris.
At the groundbreaking, some two dozen children whose wishes had been granted by the Foundation unveiled an artist’s rendering of what the Plumeri Wishing Place will look like. Some of the kids looked as strong and healthy as Andrew. Others in the audience, sitting in wheelchairs, still have challenges to overcome.
The Make-a-Wish people know that when wishes are granted, these children and their families often find more strength to keep fighting. Next year’s Wish Kids will begin to find that extra strength even before that—when their imaginations soar at the Plumeri Wishing Place.
“It’s not a building,” Joe Plumeri said. “It’s a monument to the children, a monument to hope.”
Recent Articles
- Weekend Picks: Lights, Idols, Santa…
December 4, 2008 - Food: The Best Brews
December 3, 2008 - Green Cleaners
December 2, 2008 - The Obama Blend
December 1, 2008 - Weekend Picks: Big Blue, Yoga, & This Wonderful Life
November 26, 2008 - Keeping It Local
November 25, 2008 - ... Archived Articles