When I first heard about #BMO200 Wish It Forward, I must admit I didn’t totally get into it. Thousands of wishes would be submitted, why put mine in the fountain? Surely, I wouldn’t be selected. But then, I really thought about how great it is to simply share a wish you have – to just put it out there. 

Since the launch of the campaign, more than 8,800 wishes were made across the country but the first one granted was a special one for me: It’s being granted in Cape Breton, NS.

Ann Luker, a mom in Sydney Mines, NS,  wished for her son Mason – and all of the paediatric patients at Cape Breton Regional Hospital – to receive a Lego City for all the kids to enjoy. The Lego City is based on the home drawings of the patients at the hospital. (I dare you not to have warm fuzzies right now.)

There’s really nothing harder than seeing a sick child, and a hospital is certainly the last place you’d ever want a kid to be. This wish will make being away from home just a little easier for brave boys and girls spending time at CBRH paediatric wing.

I was so excited when I heard about this wish, I immediately got goosebumps: The wish granted hit so close to home. Knowing the hospital, the hard-working staff, the stories, and the community, I know exactly what this means for many families.

Like many Cape Bretoners, I have memories at CBRH and a soft spot for the incredible staff there. Mere weeks before the birth of my son, we sat next to my great aunt, Mayme, in the palliative care unit. I spent five nights in the Maternity ward when F was born. Weeks were spent at the ICU when my grandfather took ill. 

My baby brother spent many days in the hospital as a kid when he contracted “Beaver Fever” (it’s a real thing, I swear). I remember visiting him and being a little jealous he was getting so much attention, but also feeling really badly for him because the hospital seemed so… cold. Although everyone was doing their best, hospitals really never feel like home.

Now – thanks to Anne’s wish, #BMO200, and the hardworking BMO staff from Halifax and Sydney – the paediatric patients at Cape Breton Regional Hospital have a home away from home.

Oh, and grab a tissue before you watch the video below. And don’t forget – it’s not too late to share your wish with #BMO200 Wish It Forward. Remember: No wish is too big or too small.