Canberra charity the John James Foundation has officially signed a partnership with Make-A-Wish Australia that will help grant life-changing wishes to critically ill kids in the ACT.
The John James Foundation will contribute $450,000 towards granting wishes in Canberra over the next three years.
Make-A-Wish says there are 21 critically-ill children in the ACT waiting for their wish to be granted.
It is hoped, following the financial commitment of the John James Foundation, that those wishes can be granted within the next 12 to 18 months.
Make-A-Wish Australia CEO Sally Bateman said the contribution would make a big difference and she was looking forward to working with the John James Foundation.
"With their generosity we'll be able to empower sick kids with the hope and joy that only a wish can bring. We hope this partnership will allow us to grant even more life-changing wishes to critically ill kids," Mr Bateman said.
The two organisations came together over tea and sandwiches at the National Library in Canberra on Friday as they listened to the story of Freyja Christiansen, an 11-year-old from Denman Prospect.
Freyja battled a rare cancer in her neck for years, with countless stays in hospitals in Sydney and Melbourne. She is now, thankfully in remission.
Freyja was only seven when she received a wish from Make-A-Wish Australia.
"At that point I was really sick and had been fighting a rare cancer for two years. We were all really scared, so when Make-A-Wish offered me a wish, I didn't know I'd be able to do anything," she said.
"I decided to use my wish for good, we called it an eco wish. I wanted to raise awareness about plastic in the ocean and about the dugongs and dolphins who were in danger in our waters.
"So, Make-A-Wish said yes, and we were sent off to Queensland to swim with dugongs and dolphins. It was amazing."
Freya even designed a calico shopping bag with her big sister Brynne which became part of a Make-A-Wish environmental campaign.
Freyja's mum, Lizzie Christiansen Young, said the wish was invaluable because it gave her child, who seemed to be without a future, a purpose.
"We'd been told so many times she was going to die, so we just didn't know," she said.
John James Foundation CEO Joe Roff said Freyja was inspirational, as she used her wish to help others.
Mr Roff said the foundation wanted to make "as many wishes come true for as many Canberra children and families we possibly can".
"This is something we're really excited about," he said.
