Rock Valley Physical Therapy raises $70,000 for Make a Wish Foundation

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - Rock Valley Physical Therapy staff, therapists, and patients from 61 clinics across three states raised more than $70,000 to support Make-A-Wish Illinois, Make-A-Wish Iowa, and Make-A-Wish Nebraska.

The vision of Make-A-Wish is to grant life-changing wishes to children with critical illness.

“A wish can be a game changer for a child battling a critical illness. It can give them a sense of resilience and that creativity and there’s a real power in that. It’s beyond just a nice to have. We’re working at helping them have better outcomes, compliance with treatment protocols and uplifting their spirits at a difficult time” said Make A Wish Senior Community Engagement Manager Janet Bantz Glavin.

The $70,000 generated was a combined effort of staff and therapist creativity through a myriad of fundraising projects, patient involvement, payroll dedication programs, and a matching gift by Rock Valley Physical Therapy’s Board of Directors.

This past fiscal year, Make-A-Wish Iowa granted 198 wishes, Make-A-Wish Nebraska granted 116 wishes, and Make-A-Wish Illinois granted 729 wishes. All three chapters received a record number of referrals this past fiscal year, however, their work is far from over. There are currently 2,030 children across Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois who are waiting for their wishes to be granted.

Community support is vital in ensuring Make-A-Wish can continue its mission of making wishes come true for children battling critical illnesses. Thanks to community partners like Rock Valley Physical Therapy, Make-A-Wish can ensure that no child waits even one unnecessary day to experience the joy that a wish brings.

A granted wish gives kids the opportunity to look outside their illness, restoring a sense of childhood back to the child and normalcy back to the family. Research shows, and physicians across the globe have documented, that wishes can help improve a child’s quality of life and produce better health outcomes.

Copyright 2023 KWQC. All rights reserved.