KUALA LUMPUR: After a three year hiatus, Make-A-Wish Malaysia hosted their annual WishBall 2022 this year.
The evening gathered over 500 guests, all dressed in lively colours to reflect the theme, Colours of Life - celebrating diversity, equity and inclusivity of their mission and stories of the critically ill children they serve.
Guests gathered at Hilton Kuala Lumpur as early as 6.30pm for one sole purpose - to raise funds for their cause.
Regular guests came prepared to support Make-A-Wish Malaysia at
the Wishing Well and Lucky Draw to win exciting prizes donated by various sponsors including MUI Properties, Malaysia Airlines, L'Oreal Malaysia and others.
Highlights of the evening included the bid for a painting of Princess Ariel by wish child Nazneen Zofia, who was diagnosed with brittle bone disease and had her wish granted when she was eight years old.
Six years later, Nazneen donated this painting to help raise funds for other sick children's wishes. With a reserved price of RM1,000, Nazneen's masterpiece received countless bids from both ends of the ballroom and was sold for RM16,000 to Luo Yong Wen, who mentioned, "Supporting the dreams of Nazneen and others in need is unequivocally obligatory for me. Seeing what she has gone through and the immense persistence, resilience and creativity in her is absolutely inspiring. The beautiful painting to me symbolises looking out to a horizon of endless possibilities and I'm sure Nazneen will achieve amazing things in her life. I wish her all the best."
Seven other unique items were made available for live auction that gathered bids from guests - a package to Pangkor Laut Resort, a seven-night stay in Southwest France, limited edition Bonia crystal bag, limited edition Thermomix, a custom baju kebaya from Bill Keith, a pair of earrings by Amee Philips and an artwork by Stephen Menon.
The painting as well as other items in the live auction managed to raise RM114,000 thanks to giving guests. Aside from the auction, 11 wishes were also adopted by generous donors even before ballroom doors were officially opened.
Guests expressed their joy to be back at WishBall and were delighted to support a good cause like Make-A-Wish Malaysia. "Reviving Wishball is very challenging and the uncertain business environment didn't make it easy. So we would like to thank everyone who donated items for auction, lucky draw and the guests who came, we humbly thank you for standing by us on this journey," said Tengku Datin Paduka Zatashah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, Royal Patron of Make-A-Wish Malaysia.
With all 31 auction items sold, successful bidders went home, knowing they have helped bring hope, strength and transformation to seriously ill children. Proceeds from Wishball 2022 will go towards helping Make-A-Wish Malaysia grant life-changing wishes for children nationwide.
Make-A-Wish Malaysia said it strongly believes in the life-changing Power of a Wish.
"A wish is not merely something nice to have, but a wondrous journey of anticipation and empowerment. A wish awakens the imagination, builds excitement and encourages the child to dream, providing laughter and fun. The powerful wish experience creates amazing memories that continue to inspire confidence and strength long after the wish has been granted, giving these children a better chance of survival," it said.
As a self-supported charity organisation, Make-A-Wish Malaysia rely on donations and volunteers to fulfil their mission. Since 2010, Make-A-Wish Malaysia has granted over 700 wishes to seriously ill children from different parts of our country. Join Make-A-Wish Malaysia and make these life-changing experiences a reality.
Through your support, you will start the chain reaction of Hope, Strength and Transformation, inspiring a critically ill child, a family and everyone around them.