What is Make-A-Wish’s partnership with Breeze Airways? – Desert News

Bubbles filled the air and the crowd at Make-A-Wish headquarters in Utah clapped and cheered as Sophia Ostler was pushed into the room in her wheelchair.

12-year-old Sophia was joined by her family as Make-A-Wish Utah, in partnership with Breeze Airways, officially announced her wish to go to Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando.

“It’s amazing to see how many people care so much,” Sophia said. “It’s amazing how much effort other people try to go to to help kids like me.”

Sophia was paralyzed from the neck down after a car accident last year led to spinal injuries. In addition to being in a wheelchair, her condition also requires her to have a trach tube to help her breathe and a G-tube to help her receive nutrition.

“Some days I’m in pain, but that’s okay because you just have to keep going because that’s the only way things are going to get better,” Sophia said.

Sophia’s father, Craig Ostler, said they haven’t been able to travel or do many activities since Sophia’s accident last year.

He said traveling with Sophia’s wheelchair and other medical devices can be very difficult logistically, so without the help of Breeze and Make-A-Wish, a trip like this would not be possible for them.

“It’s incredible to try to do this without much more help. I don’t see how you could do that,” Craig said.

Sophia and her family, who live in American Fork, will make the trip to Florida in February.

The announcement was made in front of a room full of employees from both Breeze and Make-A-Wish. Sophia also received gifts from employees of both companies, including Harry Potter and Disney-themed toys in honor of her upcoming trip.

Sophia, who was smiling and joking throughout the event, said she is looking forward to seeing her little sister meet Mickey Mouse and other characters at Disney World, as well as riding wheelchair-accessible attractions and trying new foods.

“I’ve wanted to go all my life, including Universal Studios, but it’s so expensive you can never get there,” Sophia said. “So it’s really cool because now I can go there.”

Wind for wishes

In addition to granting Sophia’s wish, Breeze Airways announced a partnership with Make-A-Wish Utah, which will be known as “Breeze for Wishes.”

According to Daniel Dudley, CEO of Make-A-Wish Utah, Breeze reached out to them to see how they could work together.

“You want to be able to do it well and do it well at the same time, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that,” said David Neeleman, CEO of Breeze Airways.

According to Neeleman, about half of the children who work with Make-A-Wish want to go to Disneyland in California or Disney World in Florida.

The airline offers daily flights to Santa Ana, California and recently launched flights from Provo to Orlando.

“So they will be providing flights for over 100 families, families from Utah who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition, to their desired destination, whether that’s Orlando, Florida or Santa Ana, California. So they really do make wishes come true,” Dudley said.

In addition to providing flights and travel needs for wishes, Breeze will also help raise money for Make-A-Wish Utah and other chapters.

Make-A-Wish Utah

“Any child from 2.5 to 18 years old who has a life-threatening, degenerative, progressive or malignant disease is eligible for a wish,” Dudley said of the Make-A-Wish organization.

The child is usually referred to the organization by a member of the medical team.

“That team uses the wish as an essential part of their treatment plan to offer them hope and give them resilience in the fight against their disease,” Dudley said.

Last year, Make-A-Wish Utah was able to grant the wishes of 251 children, and this year they aim to grant more than 220 wishes.

Dudley said partnerships like the one with Breeze make the difference between whether wishes are granted or not.

“Make-A-Wish Utah is funded purely by local donations, whether cash or in-kind donations. So it is through the kindness and generosity of businesses and community members that wishes are granted,” Dudley said.