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Dream
Foundation Reaches Milestone 20,000th Dream Served, Granting
34-Year-Old Woman's Final Wish to Make Memories
with Her Family
The national wish-granting organization
celebrates serving 20,000 dreams since 1994 with special
presentation to 20,000th dream
recipient
Santa Barbara, CA - Dream
Foundation, the only national dream-granting organization
for adults and their families battling life-threatening
illness has served 20,000 dreams since it was founded in
1994. The milestone 20,000th dream
was recently granted to Yvonne Rodriguez, a
34-year-old woman from Los Angeles, CA. The wife and mother
of two has been battling terminal breast cancer and dreamt
of sharing a special trip where she could enjoy time with
her husband Michael and children, Ava, 9, and Eli, 4.
Rodriguez and her family visited SeaWorld San Diego, the San
Diego Zoo, and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. They spent
three nights at the Hilton Grand Vacation Pacific Palisades
resort. "It was fabulous; it was better than anything we
could have asked for," her husband said.
Dream Foundation celebrated its 20,000th dream
milestone with the Rodriguez Family at 11:15
a.m., Wednesday, January 21st at
Dream Foundation headquarters, 1528 Chapala St., Suite 304,
Santa Barbara, CA 93105 with
a special recognition ceremony
"What
dreams do for individuals like Yvonne is allow them the
chance to dream again and create memories and experience
moments that are among life's most important, for themselves
but also for their loved ones," said Dream Foundation
Executive Director Kisa Heyer. "A dream for an adult is
often a humble request about gathering with loved ones,
making the most of the time they have left and celebrating a
life lived."
Final dreams range from basic needs items such as a mobility
scooter, lift chair, working appliance or laptop, to bedside
reunions, final vacations with family or meeting a personal
hero. Dream Foundation has never turned down a qualified
dream request. The
organization receives no federal or state funding, relying
solely on corporate and individual contributions and grants.
"Year
after year, we continue to see a rise in dream requests, and
our goal is to continue to be a resource for those in need,"
Heyer said. "After 20 years, our dream recipients continue
to inspire us to do the important work of providing comfort
and closure during the end-of-life journey. With the support
of our dedicated community, we are looking forward to
ensuring that Dream Foundation is an important part of
people's lives and dreams for the next 20 years."
About Dream Foundation
The first and largest national dream-granting organization
for adults, Dream Foundation enhances the quality of life
for individuals and their families battling life-threatening
illness. Dream recipients are those individuals who have
been given a year or less life expectancy. Dreams range from
basic need items, like a working stove, to bedside reunions
and meaning experiences with children and loved ones.
Founded in 1994, Dream Foundation serves more than 2,500
dreams each year and relies on a network of volunteers,
sponsors, and individual donors.
For more information, visit www.dreamfoundation.org
or call (805) 564-2131. |