This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

There's nothing sweeter than a smile shared by a child. Most Utah children have many reasons to smile, but there are some who have endured the immeasurable suffering of a life-threatening medical condition. These are Utah's Wish Kids. Luckily, Make-A-Wish® Utah is armed with a volunteer force of 250 and growing and is committed to bringing smiles to the faces of children, families, and healthcare providers throughout the state.

A wish is much more than just a nice thing. And its reach extends far beyond a single event, or moment in time. Wish kids, parents, medical professionals, volunteers, and others say that wish experiences can change the lives of everyone involved, forever.

A Wish to Give

A couple of years ago, 14-year-old Mia went to the doctor's office for what she thought was the flu and left with a diagnosis of Giant Cell Myocarditis. Mia needed a heart transplant. Through a series of tragic yet miraculous events, she received the gift of life with a donor heart.

Mia is wise beyond her years and possesses an astonishing amount of generosity. After connecting with her donor's family through social media, learning of their circumstances, and witnessing their continued heartache, Mia decided her greatest wish would be to give her donor's family a vacation that would put a smile on their faces.

The donor family was overwhelmed with happiness and went on an amazing trip to the Walt Disney World® Resort. Mia's donor family was able to feel the magic of a wish as they created new and joyful memories together in honor of their child's life.

A Wish to Go

Lauren is a frilly-dress wearing, magic wand toting, dark force defeating princess who can navigate riveting realms such as Candyland and Diagon Alley. As a spunky, sugar-sweet 7-year-old who was diagnosed with a life-threatening respiratory disorder, Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome, Lauren has a special connection to princesses who are beautiful and strong.

When it came time for Lauren to make her wish, she knew exactly what she wanted: to go to the Walt Disney World® Resort and meet her royal role-models. Each day of her wish trip, Lauren dressed up as a different princess. She also explored her mystical talents by going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and was part of a special wand choosing ceremony. She tried out several different wands and finally a willow-wood wand with a unicorn hair center chose Lauren to be its master; the wind started to blow and her faced glowed with excitement. For Lauren, the magic felt like it would never stop!

A Wish to Be

Charismatic 5-year-old Lucas has always wanted to be a hero. He loves the Avengers, especially Ironman, and how they use their superpowers to fight for justice. Lucas wished to be a policeman and on October 11, 2014, his wish was granted.

After being sworn in by Mayor Ralph Becker and Chief Chris Burbank as the newest police officer in Salt Lake City, Lucas rode along in a cop car, taking care of all kinds of official police business and received a special assignment to save his favorite superhero, whose suit had run out of battery power! With the help of other superheroes and the Salt Lake Police Department, Lucas defeated the villain, restored battery power, and saved the day!

The Power of a Wish

These stories are just a few of many as a new child is diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition every 38 minutes. But at Make-A-Wish, we believe that the power of a wish is a game changer and love sharing that in Utah nearly 70% of Wish Kids are survivors because of the exceptional treatment available in our state as well as the hope, strength, and joy their wish experience provides.

In Utah, we grant an average of 3 wishes a week and will serve 165 Wish Families this year. If you are inspired by Mia, Lauren, and Lucas's stories, we invite you to get involved today.