HOLIDAY — The founders of the Kids Wish Network, based in Holiday, have retired after 13 years of bringing joy to children in crisis across the country.

Shelley and Mark Breiner have passed the torch to a new executive director, Alicia Argiz-Lyons.

“Mark and I are gratified to have been able to touch the hearts of so many families; a feeling that most people will never imagine,” Shelley Breiner said in a prepared statement. “The irony is that making the dreams of others a reality fulfilled our own dreams.”

The charity initially started out as a wish-granting organization for children with life-threatening illnesses. But it expanded to provide other programs, including the Holiday of Hope Gift Bank, which donates millions of dollars in new toys to children’s facilities across the country; the Hero program, which recognizes children who have overcome tragic circumstances with great strength and courage; and
a funeral assistance program to help parents pay for services after exhausting their savings on their child’s medical care.

“Our programs positively impact the lives of thousands of children every year, the charity is financially sound, and we have an incredibly talented new executive director, Alicia Argiz-Lyons, as well as a team of executive managers more than capable of rising to any challenge,” Shelley Breiner said. “Our dedicated staff includes diverse talent certain to carry on Kids Wish Network’s legacy.”

St. Petersburg Times
Tampa, Florida
Published: 07-14-10
Source:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article1108675.ece?nsm=true

Kids Wish Network and the Mile High AMBUCS gave an 8-year-old Denver boy his dream: a new bike.

Jonathan suffers from Microcephaly, Cerebral Palsy and a seizure disorder. He requires supervision and undergoes various therapies each week. He must wear special braces while walking and has very low muscle tone and stamina.

“A teacher that used to work with Jonathan and has helped us a lot referred Jonathan to Kids Wish Network,” said Jonathan’s mother Edna.

When it came time to confirm Jonathan’s wish, he decided that he wanted a special bike that he could ride without any help. His Kids Wish Network wish coordinator got to work and came in contact with an awesome group of people at the Mile High AMBUCS. With the help of Ed, the Ambility Program Coordinator at the Mile High AMBUCS, Jonathan was soon riding his very own AmTryke Tricycle.

“Jonathan came up for a tryke fitting and we decided we would just give it [the tryke] to him at the event and figure out the details of paying for it later. We thought, ‘we have these trykes here. Let’s just give him one,’” Ed said.

According to the AMBUCS website, AMBUCS is a non-profit service organization consisting of a diverse group of men and women who are dedicated to creating mobility and independence for people with disabilities.

Because of his illnesses, Jonathan is not able to ride a standard bike. But his new tryke is specially designed so he can ride on his own.

“The model is the ProSeries 1416 therapeutic tryke which is designed for larger children
Edna said that the tryke has been a dream come true for Jonathan.

“He loves it. He will not get off the bike,” Edna said. “He slept with it in his room the first night. This was his wish and my wish for him. Now he can feel like he is a part of it when he sees other kids on their bikes. I’m blessed.”

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for making Jonathan’s wish such a special experience: Mile High AMBUCS

Associated Content
Published: 07/01/10
Source:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5545068/kids_wish_network_grants_wish_to_denver.html

(NEW YORK) Jennifer Ridgley isn’t the only California teen harboring a serious Marc Jacobs obsession—but she might be the only one who’s also suffering from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. While undergoing recent chemotherapy and radiation treatments at the hospital, Ridgley’s social worker mentioned the Kids Wish Network to Jennifer, a charity that works to grant wishes to seriously ill youth. Her dream? To meet the man behind Marc, Marc by Marc, and Louis Vuitton. “Marc Jacobs is by far my favorite designer,” she said. “The clothes from [Marc by Marc Jacobs] are what caused my initial interest in him. Other than that, I am amazed by how much he has going on between his own lines and also designing for Louis Vuitton. It takes some serious talent to be able to juggle all of those tasks!”

A plane ride to New York later, and Ridgley was on her way to meet Marc—but not without a trip to Bergdorf Goodman for a little beauty primping and a Guess shopping spree (the first of the day’s shopping experiences). “As for meeting Marc Jacobs, I can’t even put into words how incredible it was,” said Ridgley. “We started by touring his studio beginning in the Marc Jacobs collection show room and walking all the way through where they put everything together and even into the storage rooms full of organized boxes of buttons and various materials. It’s so neat thinking about how that’s where everything starts. After the tour, we watched a recording of the Fall 2010 collection runway show which was awesome, getting to talk to Marc about it while watching it. After this, we hopped into a taxi and headed over to the Marc by Marc Jacobs store to do some shopping, which was so much fun. I was in heaven picking out and trying on all of the clothes and stepping out to model them. Having Marc’s opinion and approval made it all so special and meaningful.”

“Last June, she was given the scariest news that a young person can hear and then one year later she is frolicking around in New York City on her way to meet Marc Jacobs – her favorite famous fashion designer,” said Ridgley’s mother, Karie. As for Ridgley herself? “To say I was excited would be an understatement.”
EMILY GYBEN

The Daily Front Row
Published: 07/01/10
Source:
http://www.dailyfrontrow.com/the-fix/article/marc-grants-a-wish

Mitchellville teenager Jennifer Boateng didn’t wish for a trip to Walt Disney World or to meet a celebrity. She simply wanted a room makeover.

The 14-year-old, who was born with sickle cell disease, was recently granted her wish by Kids Wish Network, a Florida-based nonprofit organization that offers programs to children across the country with life-threatening illnesses and conditions and their families.

In May, Kids Wish Network made over Jennifer’s bedroom with the help of a University of Maryland, College Park, professor and student and about $5,000 in donated furniture and supplies from area stores.

Jennifer said her new room has helped to change her attitude about her disease.

“It’s made me not completely hate my disease,” Jennifer said. “If I’m sick or something for a week or if I have to spend more time in my room or have to miss school, it won’t make me feel too bad because my room’s nice now.”

Jennifer was born with sickle cell disease, which causes her cells to sickle and stick together, blocking blood flow and causing pain throughout her body. Her disease frequently puts her in the hospital.

After learning about the Kids Wish Network, Jennifer submitted the application in the early spring 2009. She learned last fall that her room would be made over.

To qualify for a wish, children must have a doctor-verified life-threatening illnesses or condition.

“If the child qualifies for a wish, we grant their wish,” said Jennifer Gasparovic, a Kids Wish Network coordinator.

Jennifer said she selected her wish after moving from Hyattsville to Mitchellville in July 2009.

“I thought it would be nice if I could have a new room when we moved to our new house,” said Jennifer, a rising freshman at Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale.

From January to May, Ruth Lozner, an associate professor of design at the University of Maryland, College Park, worked with student Meryam Bouadjemi, 21, of Pasadena, who graduated in May, on making over Jennifer’s room. The duo volunteered their time to complete the makeover.

This was the first wish Lozner and Bouadjemi have worked on. Both women said they would volunteer to work on another wish.

“It’s a way to use our creativity and talents for a good cause, and it would come easily to us even though we’d never done that,” Lozner said. “This was a unique wish. It spoke to both of us. I think we were very fortunate to have found such a wonderful young girl.”

Bouadjemi estimated she and Lozner spent at least 60 hours working on the room.

“It was incredibly rewarding,” Bouadjemi said. “You’re helping someone else, but what ends up happening is that they end up filling you with so much joy.”

The end result is a white room with red and zebra print accents throughout. Area stores donated furniture and supplies, including a new desk, bookshelf, nightstand, dresser, bed frame, mattress and accessories.

“[Jennifer] is a future poet, she loves art, she reads, she loves Maya Angelou, she is a very creative individual,” Bouadjemi said. “The space is surrounded by inspiration.”

Jennifer’s mother, Edna Boateng, 52, said she is thrilled her daughter is happy in her new room.

“It means a lot that there are people out there who are willing to do that for somebody. It makes her happy, which makes me happy,” Edna Boateng said. “We are just very grateful to the people, especially the designer and the student. It’s a very nice gesture, and we are grateful.”

Jennifer said the end result surpassed her expectations.

“I had all of these ideas of how my room would look when it was finished. It makes me want to be in my room a lot more, I can do everything there — write poetry, do my homework, look out my window,” Jennifer said. “It’s the best place in the whole house now. That’s my place now.”

Prince George’s County Gazette
Mitchellville, Maryland
Published: 07/01/10
Source:
http://www.gazette.net/stories/07012010/landnew175754_32564.php