Koenen surprised with a trip courtesy of Wishes and More

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

As the lights turned down and giant glow sticks lit an otherwise dark elementary gym the Henning junior high band and choir concert came to a festive close on Monday night. 

Following the conclusion of Monday’s program, Henning Principal Thomas Williams was joined by representatives from Dreams for Kids, as well as Wishes and More as the guests surprised a Henning student with a bag full of Harry Potter-inspired treats. 

Eighth grader Kendall Koenen, who is the daughter of Chad and Dani Koenen, received news on Monday night that a wish request she made to Wishes and More had been granted. Koenen, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in March, made a wish request to have her family take a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Fla. through Wishes and More. 

On Monday, representatives from Dreams for Kids, which is a local volunteer group that focuses on raising money for local youth to have their wishes granted through Wishes and More, surprised Koenen with Harry Potter memorabilia and informed her that her wish had been approved and was being granted.

“Wishes and More is proud to support local kids like Kendall who are battling a life-threatening condition.  A Wishes and More wish isn’t just a moment or a day, we strive to make it a full experience starting with a visit from our Wish Wizards to talk about possible wishes. Dreams for Kids has not only been a generous group to support with fundraising for Wishes and More, they are also our local volunteer force to make sure that we have a chance to get to know local kids and grant their wishes to the max!  From the first meeting, to the wish granted, to the memories our wish families hold on to, Wishes and More is proud to be Minnesota’s Children’s Charity to support kids who are battling for their lives,” said Volunteer President, Karla Blomberg.

In March, Koenen was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and underwent chemotherapy every other week for approximately six months at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital in the Twin Cities. She finished her chemotherapy treatments in August and a PET Scan on August 30 showed no sign of the disease. She will still need to undergo regular doctor appointments and check ups. 

After completing her chemotherapy this fall, Koenen and her family met with representatives from Dreams for Kids, which is a local group that raises money for Make-A-Wish, Wishes and More and the Ronald McDonald House, as well as representatives Wishes and More. She told the representatives about her cancer journey and about her desire to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which is part of Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla. 

Dreams for Kids was founded in 2006 and has been raising money through raffles, sponsorships, donations and an annual motorcycle ride each September to help sponsor wishes for kids throughout the region. Since their inception, they have granted the wishes of 78 children in the region. One of the organizations they work with is Wishes and More, which is a Minnesota-based non-profit that connects with families in Minnesota. 

“Wishes and More is a Minnesota charity supporting local kids who are battling serious, life-threatening conditions. We go above and beyond to make sure that each Wish is as unique and extraordinary for each individual child and family as possible.  We also set aside Scholarship of Hope® funds for each child as a promise that we will continue to be with them when they graduate from high school and go on to higher education,” wrote Joelle Gamble of Wishes and More in an email to the Citizen’s Advocate. “Memorial funds are given to parents when a child doesn’t survive to experience a wish in order to let them know that we care about them and hurt with them.  We know that we can’t take away the illness of a child, the hurt of the family members or the struggles of financial situations; however, we can bring joy, hope precious memories to an entire family, network of friends and community surrounding them.”

One thing that makes Wishes and More a bit unique is each child is presented a certificate redeemable as a $2,000 grant that can be used at any higher education institution of learning. They also focus on making wishes more personalized, which includes things like hunting, fishing, camping and all sorts of recreational equipment and outdoor activities commonly found in Minnesota. 

“Our local organization is truly a gem of a charity worth sharing with the everyone across our great state,” wrote Gamble. “From those who would like to support local kids who are struggling with the unimaginable… to kids who may be recently diagnosed and need a place who will support their emotional needs. We’re here to support the wish child and the entire family.”

As part of the wish the Koenen family will get a week long stay at Give Kids The World Village in central Florida and will be able to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Studios and a number of other theme parks in the greater Orlando area. The exact time of the trip has yet-to-be-determined. Koenen had not heard she was approved for the trip prior to Monday’s concert at Henning School.

For more information about Wishes and More, or to make a charitable donation to the organization, visit www.wishesandmore.org 

For more information about the Perham-based Dreams for Kids, or to make a charitable donation to that organization, contact Wanda (218) 298-2211 or Jessica jessicam720@yahoo.com. Donations can also be sent to PO Box 382, Perham, MN 56572.