Maple's Barbies now have a house!
Barbie-loving Maple wanted a Dreamhouse to help her dolls survive Melbourne's chilly winter and her wish came true.
Background
Meet Maple
When 4-year-old Maple has to go to the hospital for chemotherapy and radiation treatment, it’s an iconic 30cm blonde doll that helps take her mind off the pain she experiences.
Maple’s saviour is Barbie. If she’s not holding a Barbie doll, she’s nearly always thinking about one.
Maple was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia shortly before she turned 3.
She has had chemotherapy at The Royal Children’s Hospital and radiation at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, both in Melbourne.
Her treatment is ongoing, and operations are part and parcel of her life.
Maple’s father Hai said despite her treatment, Maple was “good right now”.
“The only problem is she’s not eating,” he said.
“Doctors have said it’s a bit unusual.”
Barbie vision
Dreamhouse the objective
Maple’s mum Anh first heard about Make-A-Wish from another parent during a hospital visit.
Head of Wishes Keira, said when wish volunteers first visited Maple, she knew straight away what she wanted: a Barbie Dreamhouse.
“Maple loves all things Barbie related, she loves playing with them, dressing them up, taking them everywhere and she could imagine nothing better than having her own Dreamhouse for them to live in,” Keira said.
“She wanted her Barbies to have everything: the pool, the elevator, the camper and this massive mansion.”
Keira said like many wishes, Maple’s was delayed because of COVID-19.
“When restrictions started to lift, this wish was one of the first non-urgent wishes we knew we could safely deliver and make special for Maple,” she said.
The Wish
Expectations met
The night before the wish day, Make-A-Wish volunteers – who happen to be friends with Barbie – sent Maple video messages to build her excitement.
One of the volunteers from Make-A-Wish’s Western Melbourne branch, Nicole Schembri, also made some custom Barbie clothes and a tote bag spelling out Maple in the Barbie-style font.
Balloons with big foil letters spelling out Maple and custom Barbie cupcakes were also part of Maple’s big day.
Big-smiling Maple enjoyed every minute of her wish day.
“She was so happy!” Sally said.
“She knew she was getting the Dreamhouse, but it didn’t make it any less special.”
Dad Hai said he hadn’t seen Maple so happy.
“No, not like this, not the same excitement,” he said.
Hope
Wish helps Maple through treatment
Mum Anh said she expected Maple to wear a little Barbie jumper – one of her presents on wish day – to hospital.
Anh said Maple would probably also tell nurses about her new Barbie Dreamhouse.
Keira said Maple’s wish had played a crucial part in her medical journey.
“A wish can be a lot of things, and for Maple, you could see her creating her own world of Barbie make-believe magic,” she said.
“It’s been a beautiful and welcome escape from what she has to deal with every day.”
“A wish can be a lot of things, and for Maple, you could see her creating her own world of Barbie make-believe magic”
The Wish Journey
How a wish comes to life
1. Wish Capture
1. Wish Capture
Depending on availability, either our Make-A-Wish volunteers or our Wish Catcher team will arrange to meet each child (either in-person or virtually) to capture their greatest wish idea, getting to the heart of what they truly want and why. This is part of what makes Make-A-Wish unique, giving children full creative control while exploring their wish idea.
2. Wish Design
2. Wish Design
Back at Make-A-Wish HQ, we collaborate with families and volunteers, with support of the medical teams, to create the ultimate wish experience for each child.
3. Wish Anticipation
3. Wish Anticipation
In the lead up to the wish, we take each child on an anticipation journey designed to build excitement, keep them engaged until their wish comes true, and provide a welcome distraction from medical treatment. Anticipation can be incredibly powerful, helping to calm, distract, and inspire kids at a time they need it most.
4. Wish Realisation
4. Wish Realisation
This is when the planning, preparation, and anticipation of the wish finally comes true. Children get to experience their greatest wish – it's everything they’ve imagined and more.
5. Wish Impact
5. Wish Impact
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 wish kids, their families, and wider communities.
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