Tommy Douglas, the founder of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, passed away in 2011. However, his legacy continues through the organization, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions.
Thomas Austin “Tommy” Douglas was a customs agent in Phoenix, Arizona, who helped create the Make-A-Wish Foundation after being inspired by the story of Chris Greicius, a 7-year-old boy with leukemia who wanted to be a police officer. In 1980, Douglas and a group of volunteers worked with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to grant Chris’s wish, which included a custom-made police uniform and a helicopter ride.
The positive impact of Chris’s wish experience led Douglas and others to see the value in granting wishes to other children with critical illnesses. They founded the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the same year to help bring joy and hope to these children and their families.
The foundation has since grown into an international organization with chapters in over 50 countries. It has granted hundreds of thousands of wishes, ranging from meeting celebrities to going on dream vacations. Tommy Douglas’s vision and dedication have left an enduring mark on the lives of many children and their families, making him a celebrated figure in the realm of charitable work. His passing was a loss to the community, but his influence lives on in the smiles and happiness of the children whose wishes are fulfilled.
