A heartfelt journey with “Wish Makers”: Turning dreams and hope into reality

SK Innovation

2024.09.26 | SKinno News

A “Wish Day,” part of the “Wish Maker” project supporting children with hard-to-treat diseases, was held on August 30 at a gym near Dongdaemun, Seoul, Korea. The event featured attendees Theo and his mother, members of the national paper airplane team WePlay, and SK Innovation volunteers participating as Wish Angels.

“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
— Walt Elias Disney

The dreams and hopes of children are like lanterns that brightly illuminate the world. To ensure these precious lights shine brightly for years to come, the members of SK Innovation affiliates have united with one heart to inspire and encourage the children. For the first time in SK Group history, they’ve teamed up with the Make-A-Wish Foundation* to take part in the Wish Fulfillment Project for Children with Hard-to-Treat Diseases, such as leukemia and pediatric cancer, as well as other serious illnesses. This initiative, known as Wish Makers, reflects the company’s heartfelt commitment not just to consistently support and invest in future generations, but to offer practical help that empowers and profoundly changes their lives for the better.
*Make-A-Wish Foundation: A global non-profit organization dedicated to granting wishes for children with incurable diseases. After the Arizona Department of Public Safety fulfilled the wish of Chris Greicius, a young leukemia patient, to become a police officer in 1980, Chris’s mother, Linda, and an officer named Frank were inspired to start the foundation.

On May 8, members of SK Innovation affiliates launched the first cohort of Wish Makers, initiating a meaningful journey. Throughout the year, a total of 19 teams of dedicated employees, known as Wish Angels, have been working tirelessly to fulfill the dreams of children by crafting their Wish Stories. August 30 marked a special day as one of the eight Wish Kids from the first cohort, a child battling a severe illness named Theo, had his dream realized.

| Wish Day – When dreams take flight on paper airplanes

▲ Wish Day video capturing the moment when Theo’s wish came true

Theo is a Wish Kid who has been battling leukemia since a young age. His wish was granted thanks to the dedication of Wish Maker team number 8, who maintained close communication with Theo. They found out that folding paper airplanes brought Theo joy and excitement during his fight against the illness. To make Theo’s Wish Day unforgettable, the Wish Angels organized a special encounter with WePlay, the Korean national paper airplane team. Theo’s Wish Day took place at a gym near Dongdaemun in Seoul, on August 30. The day was filled with various activities, including an aerobatic flight performance class led by the WePlay team and a delicious meal tailored to Theo’s tastes.

Seeing Theo’s radiant smile as he folded and enthusiastically launched paper airplanes made the Wish Angel, Lee Jun-seok (Quality Operation Strategy Team, SK Energy), felt as though his own wish had been fulfilled. Let’s unfold the story from Jun-seok himself.

Until now, the volunteer programs I’ve participated in through my company have primarily focused on environmental cleanup activities and caring for elderly people living alone. Then, I learned about the Wish Maker project, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses, much like the genie from Aladdin’s lamp. With a few colleagues from our company club, we teamed up hoping to make a small social contribution, and that’s how the seven of us got together and join this project.

I clearly remember the first day of the orientation we received as Wish Angels. I couldn’t help but repeatedly wipe away my tears. What struck me the most was a statement from a child in the video who said, “I hate it the most when people tell me to stay strong.” It broke my heart to think about these children living each day with anxiety about their future, and how difficult that must be. It hit even closer to home because these children are around the same age as my own son. That’s when I resolved once again that I truly hoped we could offer even a small measure of help.

Finally, we got to meet our Wish Kid, Theo. He was much more energetic and cleverer than I expected. We could tell he had watched all the video messages we sent beforehand because he greeted each of us by name, perfectly. Although we went in determined to bring joy to Theo, it turned out we were the ones who had the happiest time. He showed us how to fold paper airplanes, and we played “Red Light, Green Light” together, laughing and just enjoying every moment. It was such a joyful experience for all of us.

Theo’s wish was crystal clear: he really wanted to meet the paper airplane superstars; the national team called “WePlay”. Given his love for paper airplanes, we knew how much this meant to him. However, WePlay had a jam-packed schedule for the entire year, so getting them on board seemed almost impossible. We even tried to explore other wish options just in case, but Theo’s heart was set. Determined to fulfill his heartfelt dream, we all worked tirelessly, and our genuine efforts paid off. WePlay responded positively and agreed to meet Theo. A miracle indeed.

Theo had an amazing day with the WePlay team, enjoying his favorite dish – Korean black bean noodles, and learning how to fold paper airplanes before excitedly flying them. To make this day even more special, we, the Wish Angels, gifted Theo a bunch of memorable treasures: a trophy for winning the paper airplane contest, a personalized cake, a large banner with Theo’s photo, and a photo album filled with cherished moments. From the very beginning to Wish Day, everyone poured their hearts into their roles, making this magical experience possible.

Happiness isn’t something you can see or hold, but on that day, seeing Theo’s bright smile and hearing his laughter, made us feel that all our efforts had truly shone through. We truly felt and saw what happiness actually is. And when his mom told us how sad she was that the wish-granting project had come to an end, and thanked us, it was a moment of inexpressible joy and fulfillment. This experience showed me that even small acts of kindness, when put together, can bring hope. I was also deeply inspired by my fellow Wish Angels, who lived up to their names by being there for the others.

Although our activity has ended, I hope that the Wish Maker project will continue to bring strength, joy, and happiness to more children. It’s a source of happiness not just for the kids, but for the volunteers too. I try to encourage more SK Innovation members to join and keep this wonderful spirit alive. Wish Maker, you’ve got this!

Since 2008, SK Innovation and its affiliates have been supporting medical expenses for children with rare diseases, contributing approximately KRW 3 billion over the past 15 years. This initiative not only gifts beautiful memories and positive energy to the children but also reinvigorates the will to fight for recovery for both the children and their families. Especially, this project has shown these children that dreams are not just fairy tales, but achievable wishes.

Just as everyone hopes, we wish for these brave children to overcome their illnesses and keep their bright smiles shining. SK Innovation and its affiliates will continue their dedicated and genuine social contribution activities to support them relentlessly.