Make-A-Wish(R) Canada Recognizes World Wish Day(R)

A month full of wishes leads up to a magical wish reveal for Chloe


TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 30, 2013) -

Editors Note: A photo for this release is available on the Canadian Press picture wire via Marketwired.

Yesterday, April 29th, Make-A-Wish® Canada hosted a Princess and Superhero Tea Party at The King Edward Hotel recognizing World Wish Day® - a global celebration of wish granting, marking the anniversary of the wish that inspired the creation of Make-A-Wish® more than 30-years ago.

As part of the celebration, four-year-old wish child Chloe who suffers from cystic fibrosis discovered that her wish to meet Rapunzel is going to come true this fall. Chloe loves princesses, but her favourite character truly is Rapunzel. She told wish grantors that meeting Rapunzel is her one true wish and that she "can't wait to go to her house to meet her!"

Chloe's wish reveal is one of many wish related activities that took place with Make-A-Wish Canada chapters during the month of April, leading up to World Wish Day. The celebration kicked off earlier this month, when Make-A-Wish® Northern Alberta, Toronto & Central Ontario and Eastern Ontario chapters worked together to create wish child Hope's, one-true-wish to go to West Edmonton Mall. Seven-year-old Hope, who suffers from a seizure disorder, loves water, water slides and being surprised, so she wished to go to West Edmonton Mall to play in the World Waterpark! Hope, her two brothers, mom and step dad travelled from Manitoulin Island in Northern Ontario to Edmonton, Alberta, and stayed at the FantasyLand Hotel.

Make-A-Wish national corporate sponsors coordinated special World Wish Day promotions, including LS travel retail North America and Brooks Brothers. The tea party at The King Edward Hotel also kicked off Make-A-Wish's partnership with Skyline Hotels & Resorts and Make-A-Wish Canada's celebration of 30 years of granting more than 5,000 magical wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions in communities across the country.

In further recognition of World Wish Day iconic Canadian landmarks also joined the celebration. The CN Tower was lit up blue and white, including a light show running for 8 minutes at the top of every hour, while Niagara Falls was illuminated blue.

To learn more about World Wish Day visit: www.makeawish.ca/worldwishday.

About World Wish Day®

April 29 is World Wish Day, a global celebration of wish granting. It celebrates the day seven-year-old Chris Greicius received his wish to be a police officer for the day, inspiring the creation of Make-A-Wish® and the organization's global wish-granting movement. To learn more please visit: www.worldwish.org/shareyourwish.

About Make-A-Wish® Canada

Make-A-Wish Canada is a dynamic wish-granting organization that brings hope, strength and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions. Along with the national office, eight (8) regional chapters grant magical wishes to children in need from coast-to-coast. This year, Make-A-Wish Canada is celebrating its 30th anniversary and granting more than 5,000 wishes to children in need. Make-A-Wish Canada is an affiliate of Make-A-Wish® International. Make-A-Wish is the largest wish-granting organization in the world, making dreams and wishes come true for more than 300,000 children since 1980. For more information please visit www.makeawish.ca.

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130429-MAWimage1LG.jpg

Contact Information:

Make-A-Wish Canada
Whitney Gillen
Officer, Communications & Marketing
416.224.9474 ext. 111
whitney.gillen@makeawish.ca
www.makeawish.ca

Wish child Chloe, 6, (centre front) learns her wish to meet Rapunzel at Walt Disney World in Florida will come true, thanks to Make-A-Wish Canada, as part of World Wish Day celebrations, Monday, April 29, 2013, at The King Edward Hotel in Toronto.  MARKETWIRED PHOTO/Make-A-Wish Canada