MADERA, Calif. – Valley Children’s Healthcare has expanded its partnership with Make-A-Wish Northeastern and Central California through a $100,000 commitment aimed at increasing access to wish experiences for children facing serious medical conditions.
“Families navigating serious health challenges need more than medical care – they need hope, strength and a community that stands beside them,” said Todd Suntrapak, President and CEO of Valley Children’s Healthcare. “Our partnership with trusted organizations like Make-A-Wish reflects our deep commitment to lifting families during their most difficult times.”
Valley Children’s, one of California’s largest referring hospitals for Make-A-Wish, currently has 126 patients among the 557 children waiting for wishes through the regional chapter.
Jace Sumpter was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer in April 2022 and received treatment at Valley Children’s. He had a Wilms tumor the size of a softball, along with ten other tumors in his liver.
Determined to fight, Jace underwent 12 weeks of chemotherapy, an operation to remove the tumors, intensive radiation and more chemotherapy. During the uncertainty of treatment, Jace was approached by the team at Valley Children’s, who wanted to refer him to Make-A-Wish.
“Our goal is to make sure every child who has a critical illness receives a wish,” said Julie Hirota, CEO of Make-A-Wish Northeastern and Central California. “We receive so many referrals from Valley Children’s, and the team here is so sophisticated and so well equipped to understand what the wish does.”
“It’s crucial to have something positive,” said Krystal Alvarado, a pediatric medical oncology social worker at Valley Children’s. “They are able to think outside of the box and think about something bigger than what they’re actually going through in that moment, which is something really difficult. It’s really a glimmer of hope for them.”
RELATED: Fresno Mission and Valley Children’s Team Up to Transform Care for Youth in Crisis
Jace was declared cancer-free in March 2023 and had his wish granted later that year. He and his family went to Disney World.
“We still talk about this trip and just like the impacts that it’s had long term,” said Jamilee Sumpter, Jace’s mom. “Every kid deserves to have a childhood.”
Now, the investment from Valley Children’s and the expanded partnership between the organizations will give more kids like Jace a chance to experience their wish.
“This special gift from Valley Children’s is very, very important because it helps accelerate the wishes that have been waiting the longest,” Hirota said. “Those kids, they deserve their wish. They’ve been waiting, and we want to give them hope as soon as possible.”
Make-A-Wish expects referrals to increase by as much as 52% as outreach efforts expand. Leaders from both organizations said the growing partnership is intended to bolster emotional resilience for children undergoing difficult treatments and provide greater support for families in medically underserved communities.
Make-A-Wish Northeastern and Central California has granted more than 10,000 wishes since it was founded in 1983.
