Coachella Valley Mother Gives Back to Make-A-Wish Kids

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Coachella Valley Mother Gives Back to Make-A-Wish Kids

Coachella Valley resident, Lisa Barrett has been helping grant wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions for the past seven years as a volunteer wish granter with Make-A-Wish® Orange County and the Inland Empire. She has assisted in granting an estimated ten or more wishes throughout her ongoing involvement with the chapter.

Her interest with Make-A-Wish started well over a decade ago, when her youngest daughter was diagnosed with cancer. It was during their visits at the hospital that Barrett first saw volunteers come in to assist with the wish granting process of some of the patients there.

Although her daughter was too young to qualify for a wish at the time, Barrett knew she wanted to work alongside Make-A-Wish and help grant the wishes of other children. “I had seen other kids have their wishes granted through it, and it was extremely amazing,” said Barrett.

Coachella Valley resident, Lisa Barrett

According to Barrett, her prior involvement in the National Charity League, Inc., a mother-daughter nonprofit organization, also inspired her to volunteer with Make-A-Wish.

Since 2008 she has not only helped as a wish granter, but has also had the opportunity to speak on behalf of Make-A-Wish within her community.

She has experienced and witnessed the joy it brings children and their families to have a wish come true over the years, and recalls her most memorable and favorite wish she’s ever helped grant; that of a young girl who was only 4 at the time, and whose most heart-felt wish was to be tucked in at night by none other than Snoopy.

“Her family was supposed to go on vacation to Knott’s Berry Farm, but then they found out she was sick,” said Barrett. “Her wish was like the vacation they couldn’t have.”

The time Barrett has spent alongside Make-A-Wish has helped bring joy into the lives of many families, and seeing the positive impact it has on them is what encourages her stay involved throughout the years.

“It’s always an honor to help and to be a part of a child’s wish,” said Barrett.

For more than 30 years, Make-A-Wish has impacted Orange County and the Inland Empire by granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Last year alone, 335 wishes were granted to children with the help of the local community.

For more information about Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire visit www.ocie.wish.org

About Make-A-Wish® Orange County and the Inland Empire
Make-A-Wish® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, with 62 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 27,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish every 37 minutes and has granted more than 254,000 wishes in the United States since its inception. For more information about Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire, visit www.ocie.wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish®.

Find Make-A-Wish on Facebook at Facebook.com/MakeAWishOCIE or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @MakeAWishOCIE.