WISHING WELL
SUMMER EDITION 2014
YOU GAVE LIAM A LIFE-CHANGING DAY AT THE MINE!
Eight-year-old Liam’s parents, Gavin and Marnie, recall a clear turning point
in their son’s battle with anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Liam’s spirits lifted and the future
seemed brighter when he learnt he could make a wish!
While confined to hospital and after playing hours and
hours of the video game 'Minecraft', Liam developed
a serious interest in rocks and gem stones – especially
diamonds! This hobby helped him uncover his most
cherished wish – he wanted to be a diamond miner for
a day in real life!
With help from supporters like you and businesses
like Rio Tinto, Make-A-Wish was able to organise the
ultimate mining experience for Liam.
The highlight was a trip underground in the Argyle mine.
Here Liam was greeted by more than 70 miners, all of
whom had decided to band together to buy him his very
own diamond to keep! There was barely a dry eye in
the house as the special gift was presented to a very
shocked and excited Liam! Liam and his brother Adam
were also thrilled to learn they were the first children
ever to visit the deep underground mine! This wish also
captured the attention of the media and the story melted
hearts across Australia.
Liam wasn’t the only one looking forward to his wish.
Marnie said, "We've come out of a period where you're
either in hospital or you're at home, or you're at the
shops buying food. Those are the three places you are
– that’s it. So just to have something else, a light at the
end of the tunnel to focus on that's not cancer – because
everything is about cancer – is really nice."
All the medical procedures and treatment that Liam
has been through, and the stress of the unknown, have
impacted the whole family. It was truly wonderful that they
could all share in Liam’s wish experience and reconnect
away from the stresses of their day-to-day lives.
“I’d love a formula for measuring the wish effect
because it would be an amazing measurement!” said
Gavin, Liam’s dad. ■
We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.