Red Deer girl wants to give back to Make-a-Wish Foundation

Ayrianna Day Chief, who has a rare genetic disorder, had her wish to have a "Hollywood party" fulfilled by the Make-A-Wish Foundation last summer.

The 16-year-old Red Deer resident is now a Make-A-Wish ambassador and plans to raise funds for the organization by rappeling down a 12-storey building this summer as part of Rope for Hope benefit.

Despite Day Chief's inherited nervous system disorder, neurofibromatosis, which causes tumor growth and speech and cognitive disabilities, she's in the process of raising the $1,500 needed lower herself on a rope down the exterior of the Stantec Building at Ross Street and 49th Avenue on July 21.

She hopes the fundraiser will allow more sick kids to have their wishes fulfilled.

Click here for her TeamAyrianna website.

Day Chief states on her website: "I am gathering my courage and… rappelling down from great heights, to help grant the wishes of children living with life-threatening medical conditions.:

The teenager was 15 when Make-A- Wish Foundation held a Hollywood-themed party in her honour last June. Day Chief and her friends got to dress glamorously, face "paparazzi" on the red carpet and listen to live entertainers at a 150-person fete at Calgary'sPalace Theatre.

"A wish come true helps children feel stronger, more energetic, more willing and able to battle their life-threatening medical condition. For many of them, it marks a turning point in their fight against their illnesses. I am one of these kids who got granted a wish."

Related:

Red Deer's first Rope for Hope fundraiser

Dying wish granted

Day Chief hopes the public will help the Foundation "create powerful wish experiences, improving a child's state of mind, replacing fear with happiness and helping them to feel like a normal kid again."

Thirty participants from age 14 and up are expected to rappel to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Northern Alberta chapter, on Saturday, July 21.

Development and events co-ordinator Jen Garden expects this year's event to be larger than in 2017 when 25 people participated. The 2018 goal is to raise $73,000 which will go directly towards fulfilling the wishes of children with critical conditions or life-threatening illnesses.

"The money donated in this region, stays in this region," said Garden.

To learn more about Make-A-Wish, please visit www.makeawish.ca. (The link to TeamAyrianna is https://makeawishca.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=3290).

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