I would like to say hi and thank you for helping to make a difference.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan is very important to me because I saw the Power of a Wish. Let me explain. Maddie and I were scheduled to go to Disney in March 2006, but unfortunately she relapsed with cancer. We were rescheduled for October, 2006 but as the time got closer for us to go the doctors refused, saying she would not make it, that she was going to die. Maddie got so frustrated and so angry. She said she was going to go. She said she did not care what they said and that she was going whether they liked it or not. Finally, the doctors allowed us to go. Because of financial cut-backs Make-A-Wish trimmed our 7 day trip to 5 days. The whole time at Disney Maddie was just a kid again, carefree, energetic and full of life. It was an absolute miracle to see and experience with my daughter. On the fifth day when she knew the trip was over she started to bog down in pain. We went right back to the hospital straight off the plane. I wondered to myself if we had two more days making it seven would she have had two more days of life, hope, love and energy. She died just 4 weeks after that trip.

With your help I hope we will be able to put a smile on the faces of many children with life-threatening medical conditions, since there are many Maddies who deserve a last wish in life. They have earned that from their strength and determination to stay alive. They deserve it because they have been given only a few years of life. I believe we will see the rewards a thousand times over in our lifetime from our hard work.

- Paul Trudel