Behind The Wish: Bec Greeshaw
Meet Bec Greeshaw, who has volunteered in four different Make-A-Wish Branches in three states.
Such is Bec's dedication her friends have dubbed her Mrs Make-A-Wish.
Behind The Wish is our series of inspirational reads diving into the everyday superheroes involved in creating life-changing wishes.
TRAVELLING
Four Branches in three states
I was born in Brisbane but was only here for a few years before we moved. My dad was in the army so we packed up and moved a lot.
I spent a lot of my time on the Central Coast in NSW and in Canberra before marrying my husband, who is in Defence too, and we moved around a lot then. So, I have been a bit of everywhere.
We are now living in North Brisbane. I have been married for 14 years and been with my husband for 16 years. I have been in four Make-A-Wish Branches across three different states.
I started in Canberra Branch, moved to Brisbane North Branch, went to Goulburn Valley Branch in Victoria and then came back to Moreton Bay South Brisbane and we merged the three branches up here because they were all low in numbers. That’s when I became the President of Brisbane North.
Picture: Bec (right) with Brisbane North Vice-President Courtney.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Daughter and husband help Branch thrive
As far as Make-A-Wish is concerned it has been a bit of a journey.
I have been President of Brisbane North for 12 to 18 months.
At the moment we have 29 active volunteers and then probably about five on leave so it’s quite a big Branch.
I’m a big believer in the President title being just that: a title. We all share the role; we all share the responsibilities. I am no different, I just deal with a bit more paperwork and admin than anyone else.
I don’t think anyone owns a role within the Branch and I make that very clear because we all are as valuable as the next person.
We all bring skills from different industries and backgrounds. And that’s what makes our Branch, and volunteers in general, so amazing because everyone is different and they all bring something different.
I encourage people to bring what they know, their interests, their joys and that gets showcased in the events and other things we do.
We have people in the Branch who don’t like to do wishes too often and prefer fundraising or taking notes or calling people. Everyone can bring something to the table.
We celebrate everyone’s uniqueness.
I have been with Make-A-Wish 15 years now and I can’t actually pinpoint why I joined.
My background is early learning, so that’s working with children as an educator on the floor, so I have always loved working with children and I just wanted to help children so I enquired with Make-A-Wish, joined and fell in love with what we do.
I have a daughter who has grown up with Make-A-Wish and has often come out rattling tins and going to barbecues with me. It’s the little things but they make a big difference.
It’s great to see her in today’s society not being so self-absorbed. I love when we can do Make-a-Wish events as a family.
My husband is an event helper. My daughter Ava is 14 and my husband is Jonathan (both pictured above).
It’s nice to have the family involved. They love to see what I do and they love that side of it too.
We tell Ava when we have to go shopping for a wish kid and she enjoys coming along and wrapping the present. She is so excited to be part of it. It’s so nice. I just feel kids don’t often get exposed to what’s going on in the real world outside TikTok and Instagram. She can see how lucky she is to have what she does have.
We had the Bunnings and Bluey Hammerbarn event this year. We were smashed that weekend with the barbecue and both my husband and Ava came out and helped. It was a big weekend and it was really nice we could do something like that. I love that they can see what we do and the benefit it has.
That weekend I did two full days, from the time we opened to when we closed, then counting money and getting stock. We run out of bread so we had to go get more bread. We raised $13,000 over two days, we had lines of people trying to get sausages. It was a real team effort to pull it off.
WISHES
Making it snow in Brisbane
I know it sounds a little bit corny but it’s really hard to single our wishes.
Every wish is so different and so amazing for so many reasons. It could be the relationship you have built with the child and the family, it could be the urgency, it could be a range of things.
But there’s one wish in particular that always sticks out.
We had an urgent wish for a child that wanted to go to the snow. And unfortunately, he was too unwell and couldn’t go. So, we made it snow here in Brisbane.
It wasn’t summer but it was close to. With only three days’ notice we made it snow.
And I think that wish is so memorable because his grandmother said it was the first time she had seen him smile in months so that was super special.
We got the call Thursday afternoon and it was happening on Saturday. I had a great boss at the time who knew my passion for Make-A-Wish and we were looking for a venue to make it work and my boss was Googling, and his assistant was Googling.
It was a lot of phone calls, many with Make-A-Wish HQ, to figure out what we can do on short notice.
We had about 15 volunteers drop everything they could, go and pick things up, email changes to the schedule, whatever they could do.
We pulled it off because of the volunteers. Someone would go get the pizza, someone would go and meet the husky person, someone would organise the transportation of snow, someone would organise a big polar bear seat. Then there were balloons, ice sculptures, fake snow, and everything else. Someone from our Branch loves music so they put some soft music on.
We couldn’t do it without the whole team, the Branch, putting in.
The boy deteriorated really quickly and we didn’t know if he would actually make his wish day so we were very honest with people that it could change and be cancelled.
It was held in the respite facility where the boy was staying. And they had a rooftop and they wheeled him up on his bed. He was probably only there for two hours as he was very exhausted.
His family and siblings and best friends were there. We got a professional photographer, so we had those memories for his family to keep. He snapped the whole time and had the photos to us within 24 hours. It was everyone coming together to make those memories. Those photos will be treasured forever by the family.
The family were extremely grateful. Dad didn’t talk as much as mum but it was grandma’s comment that it was the first time she had seen him smile in about six months, that was the comment that stuck with us.
In those moments they tend to be overwhelmed but when you see a child smile, when you see a parent smile, that says it all. I don’t need to hear the words. Those smiles say thank you.
Even though I led it, the wish and the words of the grandma were special to the whole Branch as they all played their part.
The team of volunteers was fantastic. They would say ‘whatever you need Bec we will do it’. We all just came together to grant this beautiful wish.
That wish is one of my favourites. The child had an amazing time, the family had great memories but also the amazing kindness and commitment of the volunteers coming together at short notice to make it happen.
Unfortunately, the boy passed away two days later.
It was pretty sad but one of the things I told the volunteers at the time is that ‘we made him smile, we made memories that the parents are going to have forever’.
It was pretty unreal to do what we did. And that’s why we do what we do, if that makes sense?
It’s all about those memories. So as much as the wish is for the child and the family, it’s also such a great experience for us as volunteers. It shows us the other side and reminds us of how privileged we are to have the lives that we do.
WISH POWER
Minnie Mouse, Star Wars and the Brisbane Broncos
I have been involved in sending kids to Hamilton Island and they have just been so overjoyed with having a holiday, or on wishes seeing animals that they want to see, and meet and greets with celebrities.
We did a Minnie Mouse birthday party the child had always wanted and it was the best thing.
They are all such special wishes.
They are just so varied the wishes you get. From a bedroom makeover to meeting celebrities. And when I say celebrities, I use it loosely because what I deem to be celebrities is different to what a teenage girl may deem to be celebrities. These days they want to meet a YouTuber celebrity.
I did a wish about three or four weeks ago where a little boy named Taylor (pictured) wanted to meet Reece Walsh from the Brisbane Broncos. And he actually ran out with the captain of the Broncos team and that was just … his face, the smile just lights up!
He was just full of energy and even though it was over within a minute, he was just so happy!
It's amazing what we can pull off. For example, there was a wish to make a Star Wars lightsaber and then do the presentation.
I know zero about Star Wars and no one else could go but my gosh it was one of the most amazing presentations I have ever been a part of. To see a child so happy, it was an out-of-body experience. He was 16 so he could articulate what he felt and he said ‘for a second I thought I was on Star Wars’. So it’s pretty special what we do.
IMPACT
'It really does change your perspective on children'
Even though I am a parent, I have never been in the situation where my child is unwell and receiving treatment but you would just feel helpless.
A lot of these Wish parents have to pack up their lives and move, it affects them financially, there are relationship breakdowns and things like that. So, to come in and get them excited and grant a wish and for them to see their child excited, I think that can only affect the family in such a positive way when they have been through hell and back.
It just brings them so much joy to see their child happy.
When a child is diagnosed, in effect the whole family is diagnosed. I have spoken to parents who are forced to be apart: Dad is working in Darwin and mum is here in Brisbane with the child for treatment. And they have seen each other twice in two years because financially they can’t afford it.
But for them to know the wish is happening, the anticipation builds. It’s something to look forward to, something to excite them when their life has been thrown upside down.
EMOTIONS
Heartbreaks and highs
I thought I had empathy I really did but it changed and deepened because of Make-A-Wish.
It’s a different level of empathy. You can think how hard it would be to have a sick child but until you see a child that is ill it’s different. I went to an urgent wish a few months ago and the poor child was really, really unwell and he wanted a robot and he spent the whole time crying because he was in pain.
There were two volunteers and myself, and we got in the car afterwards and pretty much cried. But it’s good – I say this to all my volunteers – to hold it together for the families and then get in the car and let it all out.
No one is judging anyone but your heart breaks. You just want to wrap your arms around the family and the child and do everything we can.
And we do support them but the reality is there is stuff that’s just outside of our role as a volunteer. At the end of the day we are just volunteers. I thought I knew empathy but this role has taught me empathy on a very deep level.
Make-A-Wish teaches you different skills or enhances existing skills.
Instead of planning corporate events you are planning community events. If you’re wanting to learn different things in different roles you can pick up so much. From how meeting minutes are produced to how interviews are conducted. I don’t think anyone is perfect at everything and you just learn to do things differently.
There’s different correlation between what we do and building professional development in whatever industry you come from.
I feel very proud to be part of the Make-A-Wish organisation. I feel joy and happiness and excitement when we do what we do.
It’s really exciting to be part of wish. To be let into a family’s life when their world is going around in circles. It’s really positive. I love what we do.
You are just overcome with satisfaction that you got there and delivered the wish. Wishes don’t always go to plan for a range of different reasons.
It’s just joy, the kids you see are so happy. The family are happy that the wish has finally been realised. It is just an immense amount of joy and happiness.
The feeling you get when you grant a wish, I don’t know how to describe it.
Of course, I am going to say having my child was one of the biggest highs in my life but this is different. I put it up there, as the same kind of feeling.
Most wish journeys are 12 months or longer. We have some wishes that have been waiting for five years. Those urgent wishes you have to make those connections really quickly because the family are extremely vulnerable, and their emotions are heightened but they are letting you in to go on this fabulous journey with them.
DEDICATION
Mrs Make-A-Wish leaves no stone unturned to create perfect wishes
Literally the first word I use to describe Make-A-Wish is amazing. I have met some people I would consider lifelong friends. I have learnt skills that I didn’t think I would have learnt. I have learnt to deal with very intense situations with patience and calmness.
You are calm during your interactions with families, though later in the car or whatever you might let your guard down and lose it.
Make-A-Wish is something I just talk about. My friends describe me as Mrs Make-A-Wish. I share it with anyone. Every workplace, every learning centre, that I have worked at when we fundraise it’s fundraising for Make-A-Wish.
I work from home but our head office is in Melbourne and we just did an internal games thing and we were going to donate to a charity and they said ‘What charity?’ and I jumped in and said Make-A-Wish. In the nicest possible way I just shove it in everyone’s face.
The people we meet along the way are special, whether they are volunteers only for a year or two or people who have been along with me for 10-plus years. It’s a special organisation, even with head office you make connections because you talk to them so often.
I love Make-A-Wish. I love what they do, I love what they stand for and I love just making kids’ lives better.
I just want to make it perfect for the wish child. It’s such a unique moment and I’ll always speak about wishes and encourage people to donate time or money or items. Or just listen to a story. It’s really important to me.
I find time for Make-A-Wish by roping my family into helping (*laughs*).That’s how we spend quality family time. I am quite an organised person.
Make-A-Wish is my self-care. People say ‘find what makes you happy’ and this makes me happy. I don’t feel like it’s hard work, it’s never been like that for me. It’s always been something very joyful.
It’s such a unique moment and I’ll always speak about wishes and encourage people to donate time or money or items. Or just listen to a story. It’s really important to me.
I find time for Make-A-Wish by roping my family into helping (*laughs*).That’s how we spend quality family time. I am quite an organised person.
Make-A-Wish is my self-care. People say ‘find what makes you happy’ and this makes me happy. I don’t feel like it’s hard work, it’s never been like that for me. It’s always been something very joyful.I hope I’m not leaving Make-A-Wish for a long time. But I would like to be known as the person that made children’s wishes come true.
I also hope people do see the value in my leadership but to be just known as the person that makes amazing wishes come true for children and makes every wish amazing is all I ever want to be known for.
You will never regret joining Make-A-Wish. There is so much to learn. You can build your own professional development. I also think too the reward you get back, the way you feel after a wish and the self-accomplishment is fantastic.
You get to meet great people in the community, great families who just welcome you in. It’s an amazing experience and something you will never forget doing.
It's a privilege to be welcomed into the lives of these families. It’s the most rewarding, amazing thing I have done outside of my family.
I wouldn’t have done 15 years across four different states if I didn’t love it. I just love being part of this amazing experience for children.
I love what we do. I think we are changing kids’ lives in a really positive and impactful way. And that’s all I ever want.
Bec has been a proud volunteer since 2009
