A group photo from Mackenzie's event on December 2nd. She is the one in the front with a blue Make a Wish Shirt. Photo taken by Mackenzie Allan
“I am thirty one years old, I was diagnosed when I was three and a half and me, and my whole family still talk about how impactful that trip was and that Wish was during treatment, and so it’s super cool that we got to share that memory” Mackenzie Allan said as she talked about the Wish she received when undergoing treatment for Leukemia. She now gives back and is an outstanding member of the Calgary community.
Mackenzie’s experience has inspired her to give back all throughout her life. She has hosted events, ran marathons, and even granted wishes herself through the Make a Wish foundation. As a result, Mackenzie has raised over $40,000 for kids with cancer, and this number continues to rise.
It costs $10,000 to grant a wish; therefore, Mackenzie has raised enough to grant four separate wishes to provide the same experience that she and her family were once given. “the kids who get their wishes granted don’t always make it, and although that’s really sad, it’s so nice to hear the family talk about their final moments be really positive with their kid.” Although working with Make a Wish can be sad, Mackenzie always tries to stay positive and describes the community as close-knit and full of wonderful people.
Mackenzie also gave me tips on how to get involved in your community.
For more information and ways to donate, check out these organizations.
- Make a Wish Foundation
- Canadian Cancer Society
- The Rainbow Society of Alberta
- Alberta Cancer Foundation
- Tour Alberta
- Canada Cancer
These are just a few of the amazing organizations that raise money and awareness for cancer. Organizations such as these are crucial in both funding research as well, as Mackenzie said, “it was a light in something that is really dark” for those families who are experiencing very tough times. Stories such as Mackenzie’s are inspiring, and in a time where there is a lot of negativity in the news and on social media, it is refreshing to see that there is still genuine kindness in the world.
In this interview Mackenzie provides more insight into what she does and why.
My Reflection:
I think my project will shine a light on a fantastic person in the community as well as inspire others to volunteer or donate to organizations. Stories like hers need to be shared as they are so inspiring and are positive pieces of media, which is hard to come by these days. Everything in the news and on social media is often quite negative, and stories like Mackenzie’s are refreshing. My story will impact Mackenzie as I hope it will shine more light on her and more people will attend her next event and, therefore, raise more money. What I learned from this is that it is extremely important to be a part of the community and what it can do for those around you. Also, it is easy to get involved and help out and raise money, and it can be a lot of fun. Finally, I learned that you can meet the most amazing people through volunteer work and through fundraising.
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