Jazmyn's magical mermaid tale
Suffering from ongoing complications of childhood meningococcal disease, 7 year old Jazmyn wished to be a mermaid. Thanks to generous supporters like you, Jazmyn’s wish came true.
Background
Meet Jazmyn
It was 2015 when the word meningococcal first became part of the lives of 3 year old Jazmyn, mum Sarah and the rest of the family.
“It just happened so quickly,” Sarah said.
“Jazmyn fell ill one night and was in hospital the next day and she stayed for five weeks.
“She needed skin grafts for her legs.”
It was an enormously difficult time for Sarah, her husband and Jazmyn’s two sisters but Jazmyn “was great,” Sarah said. “She’s a strong-willed little girl.”
The wish
The tale of the fish-tailed wish
Dealing with the constant after-effects of meningococcal B including chronic fatigue and daily medication, no one would expect Jazmyn to be thinking of anyone but herself.
However, the now 7 year old had mermaids on her mind.
As part of her wish to become a powerful mermaid herself, Jazmyn really wanted to help save another mermaid.
With wish mum Sarah’s help, the Make-A-Wish team designed an exciting pre-wish anticipation journey for Jazmyn to build resilience and provide a welcome distraction from her medical treatment.
Anticipation
A magical wish journey
Over the months leading up to her wish, Jazmyn and her sisters had to complete a series of tasks to help a magical mermaid called Jaime regain her power.
The tasks included making a music video, writing down things they were grateful for and completing a mermaid book.
As each task was met, a mermaid bottle was magically filled with special sand, symbolising the restoration of Jaime’s powers.
"Anticipation can be incredibly powerful, helping to calm, distract and inspire sick kids at a time they need it most,” said Lana Rice, Jazmyn's Wish Team executive.
Wish day
Sisters, sand and mermaid tails
On the day Jazmyn’s wish ultimately came true, she and her sisters Rihanna and Elise arrived at a Sunshine Coast beach with the magic bottle of sand. They soon found their mermaid friend Jaime who was stuck in the sand and unable to swim.
The magic sand did the trick, with Jaime’s swimming powers restored as soon as it was sprinkled over her tail. But before she swam away, the grateful mermaid spent time with Jazmyn and her sisters, showing them how to use their very own mermaid tails.
“She was so excited on the morning of the wish that it was actually happening. Jazmyn was a little shy initially, but she came out of her shell,” Sarah said.
Wish effect
A new spin on life
Sarah said the wish was fantastic from start to finish. As well as saving a mystical mermaid, Jazmyn visited native animals at Australia Zoo and had an epic flight experience thanks to Qantas.
“Jazmyn got to meet the pilot and sit in the cockpit, and they also gave little gifts to the girls. And Jazmyn had to go hand out water to the passengers and ask them if they have any tips to save mermaids.”
Sarah said life was still challenging for Jazmyn, with chronic fatigue limiting her day-to-day life.
“She is still in lots of pain every day and needs medication every day,” Sarah said.
“But the wish just changed things, it put a different spin on her life.”
When Jazmyn saw her mermaid friend Jaime, she couldn’t believe her tail. She said, ‘It feels like skin’.
Jazmyn’s mum Sarah
The Wish Journey
How a wish comes to life
Make-A-Wish volunteers visit each child to capture their greatest wish, getting to the heart of what kids truly want and why. This profound insight is part of what makes Make-A-Wish unique, giving children full creative control and helping to shape their entire Wish Journey.
Back at Make-A-Wish HQ, we partner with families, volunteers and medical teams to design the ultimate wish experience - and start rallying our partners and supporters to help make it happen.
In the lead up to the wish, we take each child on a journey designed to build excitement and provide a welcome distraction from medical treatment. Anticipation can be incredibly powerful, helping to calm, distract and inspire sick kids at a time they need it most.
When the moment finally arrives, children get to experience their greatest wish come true - it's everything they've imagined and more. Pinch yourself, and don't forget to take a breath and enjoy every precious moment!
Wish impact studies show that a child's wish lives on, long after the moment. A wish gives more than just hope – with an incredible and lasting effect on the lives of sick kids, their families and wider communities.