Make-A-Wish® Arizona Wish Ball raises record-breaking $3.8 million to grant future Arizona wishes.

Make-A-Wish^® Arizona is pleased to announce that the 2022 Make-A-Wish Arizona Wish Ball, presented by Phusion Projects, raised a record-breaking $3.8 million in a single night. The funds will help grant more than 380 future wishes to Arizona children with critical illnesses.

Wish moms Dana Graham and Stephanie Halvorson co-chaired this year’s sold-out event with the theme, Making Waves. Graham and Halvorson’s sons, Carter and Hunter respectively, received wishes after being diagnosed with the same critical bone cancer. Out of this disease, which affects 1 in 200,000 children in the United States, a life-long friendship was born.

“We were honored when we were asked to chair the event because we know the impact of a wish and the value of a wish experience,” said Graham. Halvorson agreed. “Our boys chose different wishes fitting their personalities, yet the outcome was the same for both our families – their wishes brought us joy and hope when we needed it most,” she said.

More than 900 guests attended the event, which included a successful live auction featuring a Danica Patrick pace car experience at Phoenix International Raceway followed by a chef dinner with Mark Tarbell and Patrick including her wine brand, Somnium. The item broke records raising $300,000 toward future wishes.

“As the first year back with a full ballroom, the energy of the room was palpable,” said Fran Mallace, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Arizona. “The generosity of our attendees and our online donors expresses that they too see how a wish can transform a child’s life and believe in the mission of Make-A-Wish – Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.”

The Wish Ball included eight live auction items which raised more than $780,000 and a Fund-A-Wish auction, which collected more than $1 million. The evening ended with a special $1 million pledge from long-time donors Bob and Renee Parsons.

“We started our Foundation with the core belief that hope has the power to heal and change lives,” said Renee Parsons, President & Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel. “I can’t think of an organization that more clearly demonstrates this power than Make-A-Wish Arizona.”

The 2023 Wish Ball will be held on Saturday, March 25 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa. Chairs will be Jenny Wright and Melissa Bouma. To learn more about Make-A-Wish Arizona and how to get involved, visit: Arizona.wish.org.