Make-A-Wish & Macy's Surprise Teen With Wish To Go To Australia

On Friday December 7th, Make-A-Wish New Jersey and Macy’s hosted a special celebration at the Cherry Hill Mall. As part of the annual Macy’s Believe Campaign and in honor of the 35th Anniversary of Make-A-Wish New Jersey, both organizations partnered together to host a surprise “wish reveal” for 14-year-old Nicholas from Haddon Township, NJ.

Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Nicholas, diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and now in remission, wished to travel to Australia and visit the Great Barrier Reef. On Friday, in front of almost 100 guests and following a mini press conference with several featured wish alumni who have received wishes over the years, it was revealed to Nicholas that his wish shall be granted, and he and his family will travel to the land down under in January. A celebration immediately followed with cheering fans, signs raised high in the crowd for Nicholas, confetti, and well wishes from everyone in attendance, officially welcoming him into the Make-A-Wish family.

Nicholas’ wish will be granted thanks to the generous support of Macy’s. 2018 marks the 11th Anniversary of the Believe Campaign. Each year, Macy’s invites “Believers” of all ages to send their letters to Santa at a Believe station at their local Macy’s store or online at macys.com/believe. For every letter received now through Dec. 24, Macy’s will donate $1, up to $1 million, to Make-A-Wish. On December 7th, National Believe Day, Macy’s doubles its donation for each letter collected, up to an additional $1 million, bringing the goal to $2 million for Make-A-Wish.

“Today is a special day for two reasons,” shared Tom Weatherall, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish New Jersey. “We had the opportunity to deliver the exciting news to Nicholas that his wish to go to Australia shall be granted, but we are also here to celebrate our longstanding friendship with Macy’s and recognize the significant contributions they have made to us over the years. Nicholas is one of almost 600 New Jersey children who will experience the life-changing power of a wish this year, and it’s thanks to the commitment of our partners like Macy’s that help us continue to reach more children such as Nicholas year after year and make their most heartfelt wishes come true.”

Macy’s has donated more than $112 million to Make-A-Wish since 2003, including more than $17 million through its annual Believe campaign. This funding has helped grant thousands of wishes. The wishes bring unmatched joy and hope to children and families across the country, impacting entire communities.

For more information on Make-A-Wish New Jersey, visit nj.wish.org and learn how you can make life-changing wishes come true.

About Make-A-Wish® New Jersey
Make-A-Wish New Jersey creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. In the fight against a critical illness, a wish serves as a catalyst for renewed strength and encouragement for every child and family on their journey. A wish helps kids look past their limitations, families overcome anxiety and entire communities experience joy. Most importantly, wishes can improve a child’s quality of life. Put simply, we believe a single wish transforms lives. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, with 60 chapters serving children in every community in the United States and its territories, and 44 international affiliates serving children on five continents. Make-A-Wish New Jersey was founded in 1983. Serving children in every municipality in the Garden State, Make-A-Wish New Jersey has granted over 10,000 wishes since its inception. For more information about Make-A-Wish New Jersey, call 800-252-WISH or visit nj.wish.org and discover how you can help transform lives, one wish at a time.