Kristina's Story: Turning Passion into Raising Critical Funds for Children in Need

Since 2016, Kristina has thrived as a peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraiser for Make-A-Wish, integrating her passion into raising critical funds for children in need with her personal network. “There's a real community in this organization … it lights people up when you talk about it,” Kristina said. Her dedication is evident in her family’s annual participation in events such as Walk For Wishes®, and her impressive feat of hiking 20 miles in one day as part of the Make-A-Wish Trailblaze Challenge®.

Getting started with fundraising has been seamless for Kristina. She begins by customizing a personal fundraising website provided by Make-A-Wish, which she then shares with her network of family and friends. Every donation she receives is a moment of celebration, a testament to the power of a collective effort from WishMakers far and wide. 

Kristina’s journey with Make-A-Wish began during a deeply personal and challenging time, when her daughter, Avery, was diagnosed with a critical illness shortly after Kristina’s husband unexpectedly passed away. During Avery’s medical journey, multiple WishMakers brought her family hope in an incredibly dark season. Kristina vowed, "If we get through this, when we come out the other end, I need to give back.” And with a grateful heart – that’s exactly what she did.

Kristina hopes more fundraisers and donors will join her this World Wish Month, because “WishMakers are essential for kids like Nolan.”

Interested in becoming a fundraiser like Kristina?

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