Avril lives on a farm with her family that includes her parents, twin sister, and younger brother and sister. She raises show lambs and travels around Iowa during the summer to show her lambs. Every year she and her sisters talk about how much fun it would be to stay/camp at the fairs. Her wish was for a camper with bunkbeds so that her whole family can enjoy camping at the County and Iowa State Fairs, where they go every year to show the family's lambs. 

ELLE Foundation partnered with Holiday RV of Jefferson, Iowa to make this wish come true. Avril chose a Coleman Travel Trailer 334BH with a bunkhouse layout and outdoor kitchen. 

Note to ELLE from Avril’s Mom: “Avril and her sisters are so excited! They have enjoyed working with the Finch Family looking at campers and can’t wait for the reveal!” 

Please view this video thank you shout-out from Avril & her family and read below the heartfelt Facebook post about the wish from Avril's mom.

"It was an afternoon to remember. Avril was nominated for a second wish through the ELLE Foundation. This is a foundation focusing strictly on second wishes.  As we all know, Avril thinks outside the box. She decided for her wish she wanted a camper so she can camp at County Fair and State Fair. Bless her heart for always thinking about her siblings as well because she wanted something to create lasting memories for all of them for many years. Today, thanks to the ELLE Foundation Inc, her wish was granted! And a big thank you to Dale and Jane Finch with Holiday RV for working with the foundation to make it possible!!!!"  ELLE can't wait to see the photos from their camping trips! 

Please view this shout out video from Avril and her family:

De’Andria was first diagnosed at the age of 6 and was faced with a recurrence in 2020. As part of her treatment she received a bone marrow transplant and chemo and needed to be separated from her family for 4 months. 

She wished to celebrate her belated Sweet 16 and end of treatments in NYC style with her parents, older sister, and two brothers. 

The wish trip took them to Central Park, NYC style shopping, with overnight accommodations at the newly opened Margaritaville Resort in Times Square.

See below for her thank you note to Elle Foundation.

"2020 I was diagnosed with MDS.

I always dreamed to come to New York and see all the big pretty buildings.

The biggest Macys was the best. I got to visit all my favorite stores. 

I also went to Central Park where one of my favorite movies was filmed - Home Alone!

I thank you guys so much for making my dream come true, this was the most fun I ever had!

Please view this shout out video from De'Andria and her family:

Irene, her sister and mother travelled to Atlantis in the Bahamas this past March.

Irene, who was inspired by ELLE's mission and Lauren's poetry, wished to go on a relaxing, adventurous and fun-filled vacation with her mom & older sister to enjoy all of the sunshine, surf & fun of Atlantis in the Bahamas.

This is her first Wish since Irene was diagnosed after she turned 18.

Irene's wish was originally received in February 2020, however Covid put a pause on her wish. 

Below is Irene's heartfelt thank-you note detailing their favorite memory from the trip:

Dear Laurie,

I just wanted to say thank you so much for one ELLE of a vacation! My family and I are very blessed to have gone on this trip. It’s been very tough for us to plan something like this with weekly appointments and many treatments. I’ve been fighting cancer for 5 years and now that I'm 21 things haven't gotten easier for me. Because of this trip we've finally had the chance to relax and not worry about our problems. The Bahamas is so beautiful it felt surreal. It really was paradise! I mean they don’t just call it Paradise Island for a reason haha. A particular memory that I have was meeting the dolphins, his name was Echo and was about 30 years old! I've never actually seen one in real life so to be able to go up close and touch one was awesome. My sister and I would laugh our heads off because my mom was scared of them but she learned not to be afraid. Whenever it was her turn to play with Echo she hesitated and nervously laughed about it which caused me to laugh even harder. Seeing my family spark up happiness and having a great time brings me joy. Those are going to be memories that I will cherish forever. We thank you again from the deepest parts of our hearts for making our dreams come true.

With love <3,

Irene, Christy (sister) and Sandra (Mom) 

Please view this video thank you shout-out from Irene & her family

Jake wished to have his Jeep Wrangler upgraded for many happy & safe miles of memories. His Jeep is his one tie to “normalcy”, just being a teen with a car, in control of something that is his.

ELLE Foundation partnered with Meyer Collision and Service Center of Guttenberg, IA and Rough Country, who provided all the parts, to perform the work to make the transformation come true. 

Meyer repaired and upgraded the steering and suspension and installed a new rear bumper with a tire carrier, a hydraulic hood assist, a new front bumper with winch assembly and light bars and an antenna. 

See below for an excerpt from Jake's thank you note to ELLE:

Dear ELLE Foundation, Thank you so much for your generous funding and helping my dream Jeep wish come true. This means so much to me. I have been anxious for the Jeep to get done and now that it's here it’s a relief and amazing. I will never forget this experience and how easy and helpful it has been. Now I can drive to school without using my parents' vehicles. I will have the freedom of driving my own vehicle. I am very grateful that my Jeep is getting modifications. You are the ones making my dream possible. 

Thank you ELLE Foundation and your donors for my dream Jeep. 

Please view this video of Jake seeing his upgraded ride for the first time:

Cullen, a 13 year old from New Brighton, MN, has been fighting rare and aggressive cancers for most of his young life. He was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia at age 3. Then, at age 11, he was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma. He has been battling a recurrence of Ewing’s Sarcoma for the past year, enduring both chemo and proton radiation once again. 

Cullen is an avid fisherman and would like to go deep sea fishing and catch a really big fish!

Jessa, 7 year old from Ames, IA, was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma in April of 2021; she ended her treatments in October 2021, however, her follow up scans in October 2022 showed a large scale recurrence. She has currently been placed in hospice care.

Jessa wants to go to Give Kids the World with her mom and dad and meet all the Princesses in the Orlando theme parks. 

Update: Hannah and her parents were all set to head to Florida when Hurricane Ian struck. Her trip is now rescheduled for November 2-8, 2022.

Hanna, an 18 year old from Sahuarita, AZ, wishes for a family trip to Orlando to stay at Give Kids the World and visit the theme parks. 

Hannah is courageously battling a 3rd recurrence of cancer. Hannah’s first diagnosis was for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (NHL) in 2016 at the age of 12. In April of 2020, she was diagnosed with B-cell ALL and received a bone marrow transplant. One year later she relapsed and is now receiving weekly treatments.

Update: Although Andrew was set to leave on his wish in December 2021, his wish has been put on hold pending a new treatment plan.

Andrew, an 8 year old from New Palestine, IN, wishes to go "Ride all the Rides" in the Orlando theme parks.  

Andrew was first diagnosed with leukemia when he was 14 months old. He completed his treatment and was considered in remission until his recurrence diagnosis of pre B-cell ALL. 

Update: Vanna and her Mom and Dad will be heading to NYC in April 2023

Meet Savannah, an 14 year old from Tucson, Arizona who is battling Pre B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at Banner University Medical Center in Tucson. Savannah has wanted to go to New York City with her family since she was little, and is learning as much as she can from U-Tube videos and online research, waiting for the day when she is able to enjoy all that the city has to offer in person.

Generations of Dance once again will be performing their Nutcracker for a Cause supporting ELLE Foundation. They will present 2 shows at Mount Olive Middle School on Saturday, December 17, 2022 at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM.

For advance tickets, contact Generations of Dance at 973-810-2252. Tickets will also be available at the door.

This event has been benefitting ELLE Foundation since December of 2013.

On March 25, the Elizabethtown College Dance Team presented the 12th Annual One ELLE of a Night variety show that benefits ELLE Foundation.

This incredible organization of students from Elizabethtown College has been putting on this show annually since 2009 - One ELLE of a thank you from the foundation!!

This year's event raised $1400.

Diane and Paul Teja, the grandparents of ELLE Wish Kid Jaxson, held a Summer Fundraiser for ELLE Foundation on June 4th to celebrate what would have been Jaxson's 8th birthday.

Jaxson and his entire family are in our hearts forever.

One ELLE of a thank you to those individuals who sponsored and contributed to Facebook Fundraisers for ELLE that were started by these individuals or groups:

• Diana Lynn - Birthday Fundraiser
• Dawn Svilar - Birthday Fundraiser
• Joshua White - Birthday Fundraiser

Use this link to easily create your own fundraiser for ELLE Foundation Inc.

Thank You!

Create Your ELLE Fundraiser