The wonder of a dream.

• Author: Montagna, Natalia
• Position: !Ojo! - Fundacion Maravillas

Happiness is related to the ability to achieve our goals and dreams. We all have different dreams, and though sometimes the path towards them requires effort and perseverance, it's an amazing feeling when the dreams come true. The fourteen members of the Fundación Maravillas are immersed in that indescribable feeling of happiness; their job is to help turn dreams into reality.

Fundación Maravillas is a non-governmental organization in Argentina that was founded in 2004 and gained legal status in February 2006. All of the members work towards the same goal: making dreams come true for children between the ages of four and sixteen who are suffering from serious chronic or life-threatening illness.

It is the first foundation of this kind in Argentina and its work is currently concentrated in Buenos Aires province, the most populated area of the country. The Foundation's founders are people from various walks of life who have decided to dedicate their free time to improving the quality of life for these young patients, the majority of whom must undergo prolonged medical treatment. The dreams are never material ones; they have to do with experiences--situations that bring pleasure to the children, make them feel special, and provide them with a therapeutic benefit. The Foundation's base is in one of the largest maternal-child hospitals in the province, located in Mar de Plata. There, the children's family members approach them and tell them about the child's situation and about his or her greatest wishes. Based on this first contact, the foundation develop a relationship with the child to find out more about the wish, and once it is clear, the real work begins: finding a way to get past all the obstacles to make the dream come true, with the consent and recommendations of doctors.

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Miraculously, the dreams do come true--so far, more than twenty of them. They include meeting a favorite celebrity; playing soccer with...