Make-A-Wish With Jackie Chan

Action star Jackie Chan has spoken about his support for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“Over the past ten years, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has received amazing support from people of all walks of life, benefiting quite a few children and their families,” the star wrote in a blog on his website. “Wishes made by these seriously ill children can be as small as a request for a little gift or as big as a trip overseas. Among the wishes, quite a few sick children hope for a chance to meet their favorite idol and there have been many famous people who’ve assisted and participated with the services offered by Make-A-Wish. I’m also involved in assisting the cause because I hope through the Make-A-Wish experience, the lives of seriously ill children can be filled with hope, willpower, and happiness. The thing that delights us the most is that there are many cases which have proven how a child becomes more optimistic and positive towards fighting their illness after having their wish come true.”

The endorsement comes after the 54-year-old Chinese star hosted a 14-year-old boy’s tour of Chan’s studio and office. The boy, who is suffering from a brain tumor, was on a special Make-A-Wish trip from Australia.

“When I saw him, I definitely couldn’t tell from his appearance that he was a child suffering from an illness,” said Chan. “I could sense that he was very optimistic and was no different from any other ordinary child. I took him on a tour around my office, then took him to my house and he played with my cats and dogs. In the end, I gave him a few small gifts. This is all I did; I didn’t know what else I could do. Hopefully when he goes back home, he will continue to have the strength to confront and defeat the illness, and I hope he can fully recover soon.”

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses, and their mission is to bring joy, happiness, and hope to sick children and their families, and create for them a wonderful memory. The charity originated in Arizona in 1980, before spreading to Canada in 1983, and local chapters are now found around the world.