Wishlist launches its fourth Wishlist Giving Day, a 12-hour digital fundraising appeal to raise funds for Sunshine Coast and Gympie patients and families.
Wishlist Partnerships & Fundraising Manager Lisa Wilson said the appeal was similar to a telethon where volunteers and businesses call their networks to donate to Wishlist on one day only – Thursday March 23.
“Wishlist Giving Day is the community’s only chance to make double the difference during this special 12-hour appeal,” Ms Wilson said.
“Thanks to generous corporate matchers like ConBuild, Foam & Rubber Industries, Sunshine Toyota, Protector Aluminium, Sunshine Coast Golf Challenge, Exemplar Health, the McDowell family, Just Better Care, Billy J, Acceler, Civillivic, Sunshine Coast Airport, Platinum AV and Dental Envy – donations gifted on Thursday, March 23 will be matched.
“That means every dollar you give is doubled to make a very real difference to Sunshine Coast and Gympie patients and families.
“There are so many ways our community can give a little and help a lot on this memorable day. You could organise a crazy dress up day, bake and sell some delicious treats or hop on one of our phones and ask your family and friends to make a donation.”
The brave face of Wishlist Giving Day this year is five-year-old Archer Howe, who was born with two rare genetic conditions - Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS) and Hirschsprung’s Disease which threaten to cut short his young life every day.
Archer Howe, from Tewantin, was born at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) but stopped breathing soon after birth and was rushed into Intensive Care.
What followed was nine months of life-saving care for Archer, surgery at just four days old, another surgery to insert a tracheostomy to allow Archer to breathe, and the scary prospect of an unknown future.
“Archer’s breathing problems are due to CCHS, a condition which affects the nervous system and the brain’s ability to regulate breathing,” Archer’s Mum Summer says.
“Every night, a specialised nurse comes to our home to monitor Archer as he sleeps because he has to be connected to a ventilator for life support – if this is dislodged during his sleep, he can’t breathe.”
In December 2021, Summer and Tom received the happy news that Archer could finally return home because Wishlist had purchased inter-hospital transfer equipment for the Critical Care Unit at SCUH, worth $130,000.
On March 23, Wishlist hopes to raise over $200,000 to fund a long list of ‘Wish List’ items including medical equipment, patient support services, affordable accommodation when travelling to the Coast for medical treatment, research and more.
Create your Wishlist Giving Day team today on our homepage and make a tax-deductible donation on Thursday, March 23.
