MAKE-A-WISH LIVES UP TO NAME

A serious illness is hard enough for a family, but when the victim is a child, the challenges can seem overwhelming at times. Severe medical conditions can also drain family resources, leaving little money for extras.

That is where the Make-A-Wish Foundation comes in. It grants wishes to children with terminal illnesses or life-threatening medical conditions. The foundation recently granted wishes to two area youngsters facing medical challenges from rare types of muscular dystrophy.

Kevin Lossing, 12, is awaiting a heart transplant. His heart functions at only 20 percent of its normal capacity. He suffers from Becker's muscular dystrophy and must take 10 different medications daily as he waits for a new heart.

A new computer was Lossing's wish, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted his request recently.

For Chad Birk, 15, his wish was for an assist dog to help him pick up dropped items, open doors or perform other tasks. Birk has Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, a disease found only in males that gradually weakens their muscles. Make-A-Wish brought Chad a golden Labrador named Charity, trained to help the teen-ager with his special needs.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation relies on doctors, social workers and others to refer children to the program. Volunteers organize fund-raising events to help the wishes come true. The next fund raiser will be held in March. Three local volunteers handle requests from a 19-county area. In the last year, six wishes have been granted in Perryville, Jackson and Cape Girardeau.

Make-A-Wish provides smiles and delight during trying times. It is a worthy program that lives up to its name.