MADDIE’S WISH LEGACY
What would you do with a wish? What if you were dying?
At age 12 Maddison Babineau was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, Ewing’s Sarcoma. She underwent 11 months of chemotherapy, surgery and weeks of daily radiation. A highlight in the midst of this extremely difficult time – Maddison was given a wish from the Children’s Wish Foundation – anything she wanted. Maddison said no thanks to a Disney cruise for herself, her brother Derek and her mom, Sharon. No thanks to the $5,000 shopping spree. No thanks to the giant plasma screen TV. Maddie wanted to make a wish with meaning, one that would last. Maddison became aware of the plight of children in Africa who lived in severe poverty when she watched TV during her frequent hospital stays. She then decided to use her wish to make a difference and build a school there. Maddie partnered with Craig Kielburger, co-founder of Free the Children to build a school in Kenya, knowing an education was the way out of poverty for them.
Bedridden for much of her three-year battle with cancer, Maddie could not attend school with her classmates. She felt empathy for the Kenyan girls who also could not attend school, not because they were sick, but because much of their day was spent fetching clean water. It was at this time that Maddie started the MAD (Making a Difference) Project. She decided that she would make and sell jewelry from her hospital bed to raise the necessary funds to build a well in the Kenyan village. Sadly, Maddie’s cancer had returned for a third time. Realizing that her time on earth was dwindling and inspired by her community’s generous response to her illness, Maddie upped her goal to support the village where her school was built in Kenya. Tragically for an entire community, Maddie lost her battle with cancer on May 15, 2007 at the age of 15. Although she didn’t fulfill her dream of meeting the children she cared for, her legacy lives on. Her story has reached people across the globe who have taken up her cause and continue her good work. To date over $250,000 has been raised to build a medical clinic and maternity ward, partnering with Free the Children.