WestJet and Make-A-Wish® Canada release video highlighting former wish
recipient families
CALGARY, Feb. 9, 2016
/CNW/ - What happens when a child with a life-threatening illness
is granted her wish? What happens when a child is given hope,
strength and joy? Today, Make-A-Wish® Canada and WestJet demonstrate the
life-changing effects of a wish with the launch of the video,
Impact of a Wish. Click here to view the video.
"A wish is a vital gift for a critically-ill child," said
Jennifer Klotz-Ritter, Make-A-Wish
Canada President and CEO. "We have seen firsthand that the granting
of a wish, in concert with medical care, has the ability to give a
child with a life-threatening medical condition renewed hope for a
healthier tomorrow, strength to fight their illness and profound
joy in knowing that anything is possible. Our own wish is that by
viewing the video, the public will understand that a wish is not
just a nice-to-have, it's a need-to-have."
In October 2015, WestJet hosted an
event that showcased a gallery of video vignettes of former
Make-A-Wish® recipients and their families. Guests of
WestJet and Make-A-Wish were invited to watch and listen to each
child's story, as told from the parents' perspective. Each story
illustrates the impact of the wish and how, because of the wish,
the child and their family were able to stop thinking of the
illness and start thinking about being kids, and even, the child's
future. To the surprise of the guests, the featured wish alumni
were then introduced in person – healthier, older and wiser – to
give a very special gift to an exceptional young recipient.
"This video is proof that granting a wish is just the
beginning," said Bob Cummings,
WestJet Executive Vice-President, Commercial. "It was a powerful
moment seeing these wish alumni have a chance to give back, and
make a positive impact on someone else's life. At WestJet, we are
also driven to give back and make a positive impact in the lives of
young people. Through our WestJet Cares for Kids partnership with
Make-A-Wish, we are able to work together to provide hope, strength
and joy for wish kids, families and communities alike."
To read more about the impact of a wish, please visit the
WestJet blog.
WestJet Cares for Kids helps Make-A-Wish Canada grant travel
wishes by providing the gift of flight. Additionally, WestJet helps
create the ultimate wish experience for Make-A-Wish children and
their families travelling with WestJet.
In 2015, WestJet Cares for Kids donated more than 7,050 one-way
flights to its charitable partners, which include Make-A-Wish
Canada, Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada, Boys and Girls Clubs of
Canada, The David Foster
Foundation, Free the Children, Hope Air, Missing Children Society
of Canada, and Ronald McDonald
House Charities Canada.
To view each individual's story, please click on the names
below.
Edmonton,
Alta.:
Hannah (16 years old at time of wish)
Wish: to meet
Lauren Conrad (2008)
Current age: 23
Kalista (3 years old at time of wish)
Wish: to meet
Shamu (2001)
Current age: 17
Miranda (15 years old at time of wish)
Wish: to meet
the cast of Heartland (2010)
Current age: 20
Natasia (7 years old at time of wish)
Wish: to go to
Hawaii (2006)
Current age: 16
Calgary,
Alta.:
Amy (10 years old at time of wish)
Wish: to go to
Walt Disney World®
Resort (2010)
Current age: 15
Erik (4 years old at time of wish)
Wish: to go to
Walt Disney World®
Resort (2011)
Current age: 8
Rebecca (12 years old at time of wish)
Wish: to go to
Walt Disney World®
Resort (2005)
Current age: 22
Vancouver,
B.C.:
Saskia (13 years old at time of wish)
Wish: to go to
Galápagos Islands (2007)
Current age: 21
London, Ont.:
Sarah (12 years old at time of wish)
Wish: to go to
Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, Bahamas (2006)
Current age: 21
Granville-Ferry,
N.S.:
Brenda (14 years old at time of wish)
Wish: to go to
Paris before she lost her sight
(2012)
Current age: 17
About Make-A-Wish Canada
Make-A-Wish Canada is a
dynamic wish-granting organization that brings hope, strength and
joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions. Along
with the national office, eight regional chapters grant magical
wishes to children in need from coast to coast. Make-A-Wish Canada
is an affiliate of Make-A-Wish® International.
Make-A-Wish is the largest wish-granting organization in the world,
making dreams and wishes come true for more than 350,000 children
since 1980. For more information, please visit
www.makeawish.ca.
About WestJet
We are proud to be Canada's highest-rated airline for customer
service, powered by an award-winning culture of care and recognized
as one of the country's top employers. We offer scheduled service
to 100 destinations in North
America, Central America,
the Caribbean and Europe. Through our regional airline, WestJet
Encore, and with partnerships with airlines representing every
major region of the world, we offer our guests more than 150
destinations in more than 20 countries. Leveraging WestJet's
extensive network, flight schedule and remarkable guest experience,
WestJet Vacations delivers affordable, flexible travel experiences
with a variety of accommodation options for every guest. Members of
our WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights,
vacation packages and more. Our members use WestJet dollars towards
the purchase of WestJet flights and vacations packages on any day,
at any time, to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods
̶ even on seat sales. For more information about
everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.
Recent recognition includes:
2015/2011/2008-2005
Canada's 10 Most-Admired Corporate
Cultures (Waterstone Human Capital)
2015/2014/2013/2012 Canada's Most
Attractive Employer (Randstad)
2015/2014/2013/2012 Top
three brands in Canada
(Canadian Business magazine)
2015 Best Employers in Canada
(Aon Hewitt)
2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in
Canada (MoneySense
magazine)
2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in the
Canada's Choice ranking
(RewardsCanada.ca)
2014 Interbrand Canada's Best Canadian Brands (rank #20)
2014 Brands of the Year (Strategy magazine)
2014
Canada's Most Preferred Airline
(Ipsos)
2014 Value Airline of the Year (Air Transport
World magazine)
2014/2013/2012/2011 Highest equity
score: airline, vacation package supplier brands (Harris/Decima
EquiTrend Study)
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SOURCE WestJet