about EMM'S WISH
ABOUT EMM'S WISH
The Emm's Wish organization is working to inspire those with chronic illness or facing extreme adversity, to persevere through life's challenges using the magic of Disney as their guiding light. Our organization was established to bring a moment of light and joy to someone special, inclusive of all ages, and help them through their darkest and most difficult time. We will send that person, along with their family or closest friend, to Disney World where they will be honored as Prince or Princess for the day. They will be celebrated for their epic life's journey and challenges they have overcome. They will be given the royal treatment, enjoying the amenities of Disney while making a life time memory of that happy time with their love ones! You can send in your nomination for a Prince or Princess and why you think they capture the spirit of Emm's Wish and share with us their Happy Thought that keeps driving them to overcome their life's challenge. Please join our community of Disney fans, cancer survivors, and those who have found strength to get through the toughest of times.
OUR MISSION
Visiting a Disney park is expensive. Many medical treatments, like chemo therapy, are extremely expensive, too, which means that a once in a lifetime experience, like a trip to Disney World, is often out of the question for many people. Because of the cost, many people will never get to experience the Magic of Disney, even in the best of circumstances. We want to rally together the community of Disney fans to make this magical experience more accessible to people during a time when they need it the most, regardless of their age or background.
THE BUTTONS
The Emm's Wish buttons are the beginning of our journey to help bring awareness to the Emm's Wish mission. By wearing a button you become an Ambassador for Emm's Wish. You can tell her story about this special wish, bring encouragement and inspiration to someone's life, reminding them they have the power within themselves to get through whatever struggles they may face in this life.
How the wish was made by Emily.
ABOUT EMILY KATHLEEN GARCIA
Emily was a radio broadcaster, world traveler, teacher, and philanthropist. She sent care packages for our soldiers away from home, worked with local animal shelters, and was an avid advocate for ovarian cancer research. Emily was also a true Disney fan.
Emily was diagnosed with a rare ovarian cancer when she was 27 years old. After her initial diagnosis, she found inspiration and encouragement in the magic of Disney, which helped her to find the strength and willpower to fight a 5 year long battle. Spending days at the Disney Parks and meeting friends in the Disney community brought her great joy through her time of adversity. She also reached out to many in the Disney community and joined terminal illness support groups to find ways to empower her body to fight her illness, giving her more years to live out her dreams.
The week before she passed away, Emily visited Disney World one final time. She also confided in her father a wish she wanted for those like her so that they could be part of the Disney magic in a special way. She said she knew that “Make a Wish” helped children, but she did not know of any other organization for other people, young and old. And with a determination and decisiveness that her family and friends knew all too well, Emily declared that for all who truly love Disney as much as she did, there should be a way to bring that joy and inspiration to everyone. She developed the idea of nominating a special someone, facing extreme adversity or chronic illness, to be honored as Prince or Princess at the Magic Kingdom it's now the Emm's Wish mission!
Emily was diagnosed with ovarian cancer on July 3, 2014 and passed away on May 15, 2017. During her short time, she lived her life joyously helping others, supporting her charities, and in pursuit of many things, but above all, she wanted to spend every moment she could either at Disney or making homemade mouse ears for people to wear at the parks, to bring a little more magic to their lives through her friends in the Disney community.
The audio below is one of the last Disney Podcast Emily made that explains how she kept positive through her cancer battle, and ultimately how Emm's Wish came to be. She shares her love of Disney, which gave her encouragement and Inspiration. She discovered through the magic of Disney that she could find joy, and hoped that others in need would find it, too. Her final wish is being realized through the Emm's Wish Honorary Disney Prince or Princess for a Day, giving everyone a chance to make memories with family and friends that will last forever.
Please listen to this 6 minute segment of Emily's last podcast before she past away. You, too, will want to become an Ambassador for Emm's Wish!
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