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Deliver hope, joy and lasting memories to critically ill kids with a regular gift.
Thomas is never Ghan forget his wish
Wish wonderment
Hogwarts experience for Thomas
As Thomas's wish to travel on the Hogwarts Express, aka The Ghan, came true, there were two words he kept repeating over the three-night trip.
"He just kept looking at everything on the train and saying 'oh gosh'," mum Theresa said.
Thomas's cabin was converted to make it look straight out of a Harry Potter movie.
"The problem was that he liked his cabin so much that he didn't want to come out of it," Theresa said.
"I said to him just as a joke 'you can sleep in with dad tonight, and I'll sleep in here' because it was so magical, and he waved his wand and said, 'no mum, get out it's mine'. He was just enjoying his cabin so much."
“The problem was that he liked his cabin so much that he didn't want to come out of it”
Bumpy start
Tough road for Thomas
Thomas's parents knew that something wasn't quite right when he was born. Their "cute and adorable" baby was diagnosed with Down syndrome.
Thomas also had a heart defect and required open heart surgery when he was only nine months old.
Various surgeries followed before parents Theresa and Vincent received the news in 2016 that rocked their world. They were told Thomas had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Theresa said Thomas had two and half years of chemotherapy but remained resilient through the treatment.
"He took it all in his stride," she said.
"Every Wednesday in hospital, they would inject the chemo into his spine, and he would need a general anaesthetic, and when they would come to get him, he would go 'c'mon boys, let's do it!'."
Thomas has been in remission for three years, enabling him to put his medical journey aside and focus on his Make-A-Wish journey!
“He took it all in his stride.”
Wish trip
All aboard in Darwin!
COVID put the brakes on Thomas's wish until recently when he and his parents flew from Melbourne to Darwin for his train wish.
A few days before jumping on the plane, Thomas was visited by the WishForce. Two Make-A-Wish volunteers dressed as witches presented Thomas with his tickets and a wand.
Once in Darwin, Thomas visited some crocodiles and prepared for the day he had been waiting for: riding his own Hogwarts Express!
With the help of Journey Beyond, Make-A-Wish filled Thomas's cabin jam-packed full of Harry Potter-themed pyjamas, linen, posters, cushions and even crockery.
Thomas had access to his very own range of Harry Potter treats along the journey, including Chocolate Wands, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and Chocolate Frogs.
“We had so many presents from Make-A-Wish and The Ghan and were squashing them all in his suitcase”
Wish Effect
Kindness makes impact on family
Theresa described the wish trip as something she, Vincent and Thomas would never forget.
She said there was so much effort made for Thomas right from the start at the train station in Darwin.
"The station was full of people dressed in character, balloons everywhere, and everyone clapped as we walked along the platform – it was very emotional," she said.
"Everyone came together with Make-A-Wish to make the wish possible.
"I was very humbled and had to keep swallowing hard, so I didn't make a fool of myself – I was tearing up all the time. Just the kindness of Make-A-Wish and The Ghan, and how nice people were to us."
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.
