World of Wishes

Our guest on the newest episode of World of Wishes is Michele King, Director of the Child Advocacy Program at Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida at Lee Health. Michele has spent her career supporting children and families through some of their most challenging moments, and she has also been one of Make-A-Wish Southern Florida's most passionate and dedicated advocates.Michele shares a unique perspective from inside the medical community about the role wishes play in a child's treatment journey. We discuss how wishes create hope during difficult treatments, how they help heal and reunite families affected by critical illness, and why many healthcare professionals see a wish as far more than a special experience. For many children, it becomes an important source of motivation, strength, and emotional healing.You'll also hear remarkable stories about wish kids and families Michele has encountered throughout her career, along with her thoughts on how Make-A-Wish has evolved over the years and why every eligible child deserves the chance to experience the power of a wish. It's a heartfelt conversation about hope, healing, family, and the extraordinary impact a wish can have on a child's life.

In this powerful and deeply moving episode of World of Wishes, we are honored to welcome Raymond Rodriguez Torres, wish dad, cancer research leader, and Co-Founder and Chairman of Live Like Bella—one of the most impactful pediatric cancer support organizations in the world. Raymond shares the story of his daughter Bella, a Make-A-Wish kid whose life was marked by extraordinary courage, faith, and joy in the face of overwhelming adversity. After early developmental challenges, Bella was diagnosed at just four years old with aggressive rhabdomyosarcoma, cancer that had spread throughout her body and left her suddenly paralyzed. Doctors told Raymond and his family that Bella would never walk again—and that her prognosis was only weeks to months. What followed defied every expectation. Bella fought for six years, regained the ability to walk, run, and jump, and lived with a joy and selflessness far beyond her years. Even as she endured surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, Bella focused on helping others - especially the children she met along the way in the hospital. During her journey, Make-A-Wish granted Bella’s wish: a Disney Cruise, where moments of childlike wonder, compassion, and spiritual grace left an indelible impact on their family. From private character experiences to an unforgettable moment of Disney cast members praying together for Bella before her celebration, the wish became a source of joy, strength, and renewal during the darkest days of her battle. After Bella’s passing, the words “Live Like Bella” sparked a movement that would reach far beyond one family’s grief. Today, Live Like Bella (livelikebella.org) has funded more than $45 million in pediatric cancer research, supports families in 38 countries, provides direct treatment and financial assistance, and ensures dignity for families even in their most painful moments. This conversation is about legacy, faith, service, and the healing power of a wish. It is a reminder that some lives - no matter how short - can change the world forever.Learn more about how can get involved at https://wish.org/sflaBe sure to follow us @makeawishsfla on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn!Subscribe, Rate, & Review this podcast to support future episodes that will feature wish kids and parents' past and present, volunteers, donors, referral sources and everyone who contributes to this World of Wishes!

In this heartfelt episode of World of Wishes, we are joined by Abby Lindenberg, a devoted wish mom whose daughter Layla’s journey is defined by resilience, hope, and a powerful transformation from uncertainty to light. Layla was diagnosed with an ultra‑rare genetic condition called alpha‑mannosidosis, a disorder that affects muscle strength, balance, hearing, cognition, and overall development. For years, Abby and her family navigated what she describes as a diagnostic “odyssey”—visiting more than a dozen specialists, sensing that something wasn’t right, yet struggling without answers. When the diagnosis finally came, it brought fear and anxiety, but also relief in finally having a name—and a path forward. Layla ultimately underwent a bone marrow transplant, a life‑altering and intense treatment that offered her the brightest possible future. Abby shares honestly about the emotional toll of watching a seemingly healthy child endure such an invasive procedure, the faith required to move forward, and the long months spent inpatient during Layla’s recovery. Two years later, the results are extraordinary: Layla is present, joyful, active, and embracing life in ways that once felt uncertain. That’s when Make‑A‑Wish entered their lives. During Layla’s recovery, her daily ritual became dressing up as a princess—finding joy, imagination, and strength even on the hardest days. That simple act revealed her deepest wish: a magical experience at Walt Disney World, where Layla could fully live out her princess dreams. In this episode, Abby recounts what the wish meant—not just for Layla, but for her entire family. From staying at Give Kids The World, to the care and generosity of volunteers, to seeing her daughter fully present and glowing with joy, the wish marked a powerful milestone: a celebration of survival, healing, and gratitude on the other side of darkness. This conversation is a testament to parental advocacy, to living moment by moment through unimaginable challenges, and to the profound impact a wish can have in helping families reclaim joy and light.Learn more about how can get involved at https://wish.org/sfla!Be sure to follow us @makeawishsfla on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn!Subscribe, Rate, & Review this podcast to support future episodes that will feature wish kids and parents' past and present, volunteers, donors, referral sources and everyone who contributes to this World of Wishes!

In this deeply moving episode of World of Wishes, we are honored to welcome Bryan DeCobo, a Wish Dad whose journey with Make‑A‑Wish has been shaped by love, loss, resilience, and extraordinary courage. Bryan shares the story of his two sons, Ethan and Liam, who were both diagnosed with a rare, life‑shortening condition known as Coats Plus Syndrome. He opens up about the unimaginable reality of parenting two medically fragile children, the grief of losing Ethan at just four years old, and the determination that led his family to fight—not only for their own children, but for every family facing this rare disease. That fight included starting a first‑of‑its‑kind foundation, pursuing experimental treatments, and helping establish a new standard of care that is now stabilizing Liam’s condition. The episode also explores the power of wishes during life’s most painful moments. Bryan reflects on Ethan’s wish—a quiet, deeply personal trip to the mountains of North Carolina that became a sacred time for connection, love, and saying goodbye. He then shares the joy and light of Liam’s wish: traveling to Washington, D.C. to attend John Cena’s final wrestling match, where Liam met his hero and experienced a moment of pure, unforgettable joy. Beyond the wishes themselves, Bryan speaks candidly about fatherhood, vulnerability, and the importance of safe spaces for men navigating grief and fear. He discusses how joy is not just emotional—it can be transformational, even healing—and why Make‑A‑Wish is more than a moment in time; it is a force that brings light into the darkest chapters of a family’s story. This episode is a powerful reminder that every family is carrying something unseen—and that love, purpose, and joy can coexist even in the presence of profound loss. Learn more about how can get involved at https://wish.org/sfla!Be sure to follow us @makeawishsfla on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn!Subscribe, Rate, & Review this podcast to support future episodes that will feature wish kids and parents' past and present, volunteers, donors, referral sources and everyone who contributes to this World of Wishes!

In this special episode of World of Wishes, we chat with Mikayla Beatty, a wish alum whose journey represents a historic milestone in Make A Wish history: Mikayla was the 150,000th wish ever granted by The Walt Disney Company. Now a college sophomore studying theater, Mikayla reflects on her path from a creative, faith driven childhood to a life altering cancer diagnosis at just 13 years old. What began as a lingering cough quickly turned into a diagnosis of Stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma, launching her into an intense and fast moving treatment plan on the oncology floor—right as the world was shutting down due to COVID 19. Mikayla shares with remarkable clarity what it was like to face cancer as a teenager who fully understood the gravity of the diagnosis, the physical toll of chemotherapy, and the fear of losing her voice as a singer. She speaks candidly about anticipatory nausea, isolation during treatment, and the hope provided through a clinical trial that ultimately shortened her chemotherapy and helped heal her body. Then came the wish—one that unfolded in two unforgettable chapters. In April, Mikayla was invited to Walt Disney World Resort to mark Disney’s 150,000th wish, where she rode in the Magic Kingdom parade, received VIP access throughout the parks, and became one of the very few people in the world to stay overnight inside Cinderella Castle. Months later, Disney and Make A Wish extended the magic even further, inviting Mikayla back to perform at the Once Upon A Wish Ball, complete with professional coaching, recording sessions, choreography, and mentorship from Disney performers and producers. For Mikayla, the wish went beyond magic—it restored purpose. It helped her rediscover why she endured what she endured and confirmed her calling to use music to heal, inspire, and uplift others. Today, she carries that experience forward as both an alum and an ambassador for hope, resilience, and the life changing power of a wish. Learn more about how can get involved at https://wish.org/sfla!Be sure to follow us @makeawishsfla on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn!Subscribe, Rate, & Review this podcast to support future episodes that will feature wish kids and parents' past and present, volunteers, donors, referral sources and everyone who contributes to this World of Wishes!