Make-A-Wish® executives joined UnitedHealthcare employees to
celebrate the 35th anniversary of “World Wish Day” at the
company’s 185 Asylum St. offices. UnitedHealthcare donated more than
$16,000 to help Make-A-Wish fulfill wishes for children in Connecticut
with severe life-threatening medical conditions.
Pam Keough, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Connecticut (bottom left), and Jim Bedard, CFO of UnitedHealthcare's Northeast Region (bottom right), stand among the 1,000 luminaires purchased to help make wishes come true for children like Louis (first row, second from left) and his family. UnitedHealthcare employees raised more than $16,000 through this statewide two-week employee "lights of hope" campaign to help Make-A-Wish Connecticut grant wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. Today marks the 35th anniversary of the founding of Make-A-Wish. The Connecticut chapter has made more than 2,500 wishes come true since its inception in 1986 (Photo: Digital Creations, Alan Grant).
“World Wish Day” honors the anniversary of the first wish ever granted,
which was to a 7-year-old boy named Chris who wished to be a police
officer. Granting his wish inspired the creation of Make-A-Wish®
35 years ago and sparked a global wish-granting movement.
UnitedHealthcare employees purchased 10,000 luminaires during a two-week
Wishes at Work® campaign to support children’s wishes in
Connecticut. These candle-lit bags were displayed during the Make-A-Wish
“World Wish Day” Hartford celebration. Make-A-Wish also shared a new
wish being fulfilled through efforts like UnitedHealthcare’s.
Five-year-old Wish Kid Louis recently returned from his Make-A-Wish
experience, which was to swim with the dolphins in Florida. Louis’s trip
was more than he could have dreamed of, and according to his mother,
“words cannot describe the experience this was for all of us.”
“Through our decades-long relationship with UnitedHealth Group, we have
been able to fund countless wishes in Connecticut and across the
country,” said Maria Arnold, development officer for Make-A-Wish
Connecticut. “The success of this statewide luminaires campaign
demonstrates that UnitedHealth Group’s employees take our mission to
heart – and we look forward to joining them again to make more wishes
come true.”
Make-A-Wish Connecticut began granting wishes to local children in 1986
and has made more than 2,500 wishes come true over the past 29 years.
Wishes inspire imagination and happiness, and enable children to spend
precious time with their families. More than 180 wishes were granted in
its 2014 fiscal year, and more than 200 wishes will be granted in the
coming year.
“These kids have such a resilient spirit that has touched so many of our
employees,” said Stephen Farrell, CEO, UnitedHealthcare of New England.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Make-A-Wish
Connecticut to make more children’s wishes come true.”
About Make-A-Wish Connecticut
The
Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Connecticut grants the wishes of
children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human
experience with hope, strength and joy. Wish-come-true experiences can
do wonders by providing a much-needed break from lengthy hospital stays
and medical treatments. They give back to a child what a serious medical
condition can take away – the chance to simply enjoy being a kid. Wish
Kids often choose something that will inspire happiness and allow them
to spend precious time with their families. The Connecticut chapter has
made more than 2,500 wishes come true since its inception in 1986. Learn
more about Connecticut wishes at www.ct.wish.org,
or join Make-A-Wish on Facebook (search Make-A-Wish Connecticut),
Twitter (@MakeAWishCT) and Instagram (@MakeAWishCT).
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare
is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by
simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and
wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care
providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit
programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees
and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and
contracts directly with more than 850,000 physicians and care
professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide.
UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:
UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more
information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com
or follow @myUHC on Twitter.
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