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| Teen establishes foundation to buy electronic games for pediatric cancer patients at Women & Children’s Hospital as his "Make-A-Wish" |
FOR RELEASE: 12/9/2005 |
 | | (L to R) - Patient and Michael Friedman |
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Michael Friedman, 16, will be distributing hand-held electronic game
systems and other gifts purchased by the Mikey's Way Foundation to
chronically ill children at Women & Children's Hospital of
Buffalo on Friday December 9, 2005 at 2pm. Michael established
Mikey’s Way Foundation in 2005 to purchase games, toys and
activities for critically ill children in lieu
of any "wish" offered to him from the Make-A-Wish
Foundation.
Michael, a National Honor Society student, was
diagnosed with a rare form of pediatric cancer in March 2004. A
resident of Connecticut, he has been receiving treatment from Memorial
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. While an
in-patient at Sloan- Kettering, Michael says he would look forward
to the weekly candy cart, which stopped at his hospital door --
although he was way too sick to eat. From that, he launched
the idea of giving electronic games to sick children in order to
relieve the constant boredom, which accompanies cancer treatments for
kids.
This experience inspired Michael to start his own
foundation, Mikey's Way and he asked Make-A-Wish to help implement the
plan. Although patients typically use their Make-A-Wish for
a Disney vacation or other special gift, he asked that all money be
used to buy electronic games for chronically ill children. His
only "wish" was that he distributes the games himself.
On
Friday, December 9, 2005, his wish will come true. Women &
Children's Hospital of Buffalo will be the first recipient of his
charitable foundation for children stricken with cancer and
other serious diseases who must spend long periods of time in the
hospital. Memorial Sloan-Kettering will be next, having
been scheduled to receive a visit from Mikey and his games in
January 2006.
As part of his entry to the National Honor Society, Mikey
needed to explain why he lacked the necessary community service
required to join. He wrote an essay about the kind
of "leadership" that arises from braving chemotherapy,
surgery, radiation and stem cell treatments. He also wrote
of sharing motivational and inspiring thoughts with others who
have similarly suffered. Needless to say, the Honor Society
waived its community service requirement and inducted
Mikey as a member on December 7, 2005. On Friday,
Michael will share some of these motivations and inspirations
to pediatric cancer patients and their families in
Buffalo.
If you would like to make a donation to Mikey’s Way please contact Les Friedman at (203) 767-0069. Contact Information:
Erin Klass
Phone: (716) 878-1981
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