There was no summer holidays for Marc, last year. There was no beach to play on, and no pool or sea to swim in. In fact, it had been a very different summer from what he and his family had ever imagined. Marc is an 11 year old brave little man with beautiful blue eyes. Our friends at Ilusiones /Make-A-Wish® Spain met him at the hospital where he undergoes his treatment. Marc was very silent, he stared but he did not say a word. He had just come out of his doctor’s appointment and he was not very happy about the news he had just heard. It was the perfect moment to break the ice and make him believe in a wish and have renewed hopes for the future.
Between laughing and joking, the volunteers of Ilusiones got to know Marc better and finally found out about his love for animals and specially his passion for dolphins. When his doctor spoke to Marc about our friends at Ilusiones, he knew that they were going to help him make his wish of swimming with dolphins come true. He also knew that he had to work really hard on his rehabilitation, but he was going to make the effort. And so, day after day he became stronger and when his physiotherapist informed us of his great improvement, we all got to work to make Marc’s wish come true.
Finally, last November Marc got on the plane that would bring him from Barcelona to Tenerife. The big day had arrived. He was very nervous as he had never been on a plane before, but somehow he managed to calm down, as he did not want to miss a thing. He knew there were so many things to do and he did not want to miss a thing. When he arrived to HOTEL BITACORA , he was welcomed like a VIP. We all waited there to share his dream. The implication, compromise and personal dedication of the staff at Hotel Bitacora to make Marc’s wish had been extraordinary. A small example was the custom made decoration of the room he shared with his family. Two massive dolphin shaped ballons presided the room, which was full of little presents such as photographs, writing pads, and exclusive custom made presents.
For a few days, Marc and his family were capable of living the future, of breaking the hard routines at the hospital that he has undergone for a long time. After his life changing swim with the dolphins, they went back home completely happy and satisfied after making Marc’s wish come true.
For a few years, Spring Hoteles have sponsored Fundacion Ilusiones and has had the privilege of sharing the wishes of these little fighters. Ilusiones /Make-A-Wish® Spain is a non-profit organization founded in 1999, with the mission of giving hope and strength to children with life-threatening medical conditions. The foundations mission reflects the life-changing impact that the wish granting has on children through experiences of happiness, strength and hope. Children of immense strength, that fight every day for their lives, and that deserve whatever dedication and effort on behalf of the Foundations to make their wishes come true.
The benefits of this global action are, in every case, very significative. We all have had in our life an intense dream and we all know the beneficial effect that this positive emotion produces on the essential values in life such us compromise, perseverance, bravery and resilience. A wish experience is a source of inspiration for children undergoing medical treatments, and a positive force helps them overcome their obstacles. A wish experience is often more that a dream come true: It’s the catalysts that rekindles their belief in themselves and the promise of their future. It’s an incredible experience that enriches not just the lives of the children and their families, but often an entire community.
Thank you Marc for being so brave and such an inspiration to all of us. We do hope that we can see you very soon.!!!
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