Ella Salonga wanted to do something different for her birthday this year. Instead of wishing for herself, she decided to make a child’s wish come true. When she saw a post about a wish kid shared by her friend, she did not think twice.
She remembers her mother’s own fight against leukemia nine years ago — getting confined in the hospital regularly and undergoing complex and painful treatments became part of her mother’s daily life. She knows it all too well that she cannot imagine how more challenging it is for children with critical illnesses. This experience inspired her to grant the wish of Kyrie, a four-year old bravely battling with leukemia, to have his very own Lightning McQueen ride-on car. She even sent him a care package full of his favorite things.
“The best part was knowing that the little something that you prepared meant a whole lot to the one who received it,” she said as she recalled her wish grant experience. As one of the newest wish-granters for Make-A-Wish Philippines, she wants to encourage everyone to grant wishes, too, as the experience has truly warmed her heart and she wants others to feel the same, especially during these trying times.
Finally, she wants to tell the wish kids, “Do not lose hope and keep on fighting! There might be difficult days, and you might not understand it now, but know that God has a plan for you. I’m one with you in prayers that one day, soon, you can finally say I AM HEALED.”
– By Carla Miranda with Danimei Everett