Wishes that Last a Lifetime: Create Your Legacy of Hope

Leave a Legacy, celebrated every year in May in Canada, is a national awareness campaign that highlights the importance of making a lasting impact on a charity or organization that you want to support for generations to come. By leaving a gift through your will or other planned giving initiatives, it’s an opportunity to extend your generosity beyond your lifetime.  

Make-A-Wish Canada works with communities across the country to provide children with critical illnesses the opportunity to realize their most heartfelt wish. These wishes are more than just moments of happiness; they are crucial in improving health outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for both the children and their families.   

Since 2019, nearly 800 wishes have been granted directly by generous legacy donors. These wishes have a tangible and powerful effect on children and families in their most difficult moments. For a child with a critical illness, a wish isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a need to have. Wishes are known to improve health outcomes, proving to be a turning point in a child’s treatment journey. It empowers children to fight their illnesses, ensures ongoing support for families in need, and creates lasting memories that bring healing.   

Bob and Julie Hamilton’s story is a testament to our mission. In 1997, their daughter, Maggie, was diagnosed with cancer. After rounds of treatment, including chemotherapy and surgeries, she went into remission in 1999. However, they soon lost their son, Tim, in a tragic workplace accident. They knew the pain that came with losing a child, and while they couldn’t change the past, they could help shape the future. The Missing Tim Forever Wish Fund was established in 2001, and since then, has helped grant 40 wishes to children, with a promise to grant more. Their tribute reminds us of how much of a lasting impact can be created for children with critical illnesses and their families. 

This month, consider how you would like to make an impact. 1 in 5 Canadians include a charitable gift in their will, and this number is steadily increasing year over year. By leaving a legacy gift, you’re providing more than just a donation—you’re giving a child the gift of a dream come true, creating memories that will live on in their hearts forever. If you are interested in learning how you can make an impact, please visit our legacy giving page or contact us at [email protected].