When Cape Breton-born Owen MacNeil set out to raise money in support of Make-A-Wish Atlantic Provinces, he had no idea that 4 local schools would become his largest supporter and play an integral part in the granting of a wish to Lauren Hillier of North Sydney.

In 2007, Mr. MacNeil, a committed supporter of Make-A-Wish who is now living in Moncton, New Brunswick, decided to raise funds for the foundation through his participation in the 2007 Mount Kilimanjaro Climb for Wishes. MacNeil joined an American group and successfully climbed the 19,340-foot peak located in Tanzania, Africa in February 2007.

 “Throughout all the physical and mental challenges of the climb, especially in the last few days as we approached the summit, I began to understand what children with serious illnesses might experience every day of their lives”, says MacNeil. “That knowledge, and the support of all those who had donated to Make-A-Wish, helped me to keep going and achieve my goal.”

By gathering corporate and personal pledges, MacNeil raised over $22,000 for Make-A-Wish Atlantic Provinces. Little did he know at the time that his sister-in-law, teacher Rosanne Gillis-Roy of Howie Centre, Cape Breton, was busy behind the scenes organizing an inspired fundraiser which would see 4 Cape Breton schools become MacNeil’s largest single donor. Children at Gowrie, Donkin, Riverside and Mountainview Schools raised a total of $3,285 through the “Mac and Cheese Challenge” for MacNeil’s climb in support of Make-A-Wish Atlantic Provinces. Thanks to the donations of over 1,300 boxes of macaroni and cheese boxes from 5 local Sobey’s stores, students at the schools raised money by selling the boxes for a twoonie each and then participated in a domino-like “topple” of the boxes in each of their locations.

“It is amazing what the donation of a toonie can do”, says Gillis-Roy. “These $2 pledges have added up to thousands of dollars.”

Make-A-Wish Atlantic Provinces has now allocated the students’ donations to the granting of a very special wish for a local teen living in North Sydney. Lauren suffers from a rare condition known as Rett Syndrome, a neurological disorder seen almost exclusively in females. Rett results in a range of impaired physical and cognitive development and stereotypical hand-wringing. Young girls with Rett are known for their attractive features and especially their penetrating eyes. Despite their difficulties, they can learn and they enjoy time with their families and friends. They experience a full range of emotions and show their engaging personalities as they take part in social, educational and recreational activities.

Lauren loves being immersed in water and her family felt that having a hot-tub would give her great happiness and help her therapeutically as well. The hot tub will be installed in Lauren’s backyard in June, and will be available for her use throughout the year.

Annette & Brian Hillier share their thoughts about the impact of Make-A-Wish: “Make-a-Wish, and all of the individuals and organizations that donate their time and effort to providing wishes, have a profound effect on the lives of wish children and their families. Wish families become accustomed to saying no to extras for fear of what might be around the corner. Lauren’s Hot Tub will provide her with a level of enjoyment in her everyday life that would not have been possible without Make-A-Wish. Co-incidentally, after approval of the wish, Lauren’s medical professionals recommended that a Hot Tub would be very beneficial in slowing regression in her mobility.”     

Jane Henson, Executive Director of Make-A-Wish Atlantic Provinces in Halifax, notes the combined efforts of many people on the granting of Lauren’s wish. “This is a great example of how people working together can make wishes come true: Owen’s dream of making a difference, Rosanne’s outstanding organizational skills, the empathy and hard work of the students in raising pledges, the support of the schools, and the generosity of the Sobeys stores and the Sechi’s of Leisure Pools who have provided the hot tub at cost – so many individuals and organizations have contributed to making Lauren’s wish come true.”

On Thursday, June 5th, Owen MacNeil will be making slide presentations at each of the 4 schools to describe his climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and to thank the students personally for their contributions to Make-A-Wish in support of Lauren’s wish. Please contact Make-A-Wish Atlantic Provinces for further details.