Benedicta's wish...
“I wish to have a gaming laptop”
16 years old, Manchester
Sickle cell disease with complications
Wish stories
16-year-old Benedicta loves playing PC games with her friends, something that offers her a distraction from a life moulded by sickle cell and restrictive lung disease.
Last year when her laptop broke, her family was unable to afford a new one. Benedicta was left without a PC. Not only was she left without a means to play immersive computer games, but also to do her schoolwork - something the studious teen values highly. But thanks to her wish, Benedicta was able to get a new laptop which she uses to play her favourite games and to study hard in preparation for her GCSEs.
Benedicta's story
June 2023
Life was hard enough for Benedicta with sickle cell disease, a type of blood condition. But last year, when Benedicta was diagnosed with restrictive lung disease, a life that was already filled with doctors' appointments became even more medical-centred.
Living with sickle cell disease means that Benedicta is unable to partake in physical activity. A normal cold could also land the teen in hospital, causing a great amount of pain. To add to it all, her restrictive lung disease means that her lungs only hold 65% oxygen - a stark difference from the over 90% that most adult lungs hold. “I need oxygen to sleep at night,” said Benedicta.
But her experience with sickle cell and lung disease has motivated Benedicta to become a doctor in the future: “I’ve been inspired by my sickle cell doctor team. I want to help kids like me!”
Benedicta's wish
February 2024
That's why her wish to have a laptop was so important: Not only would she be able to play games, something that offers respite from her condition, but she would also be able to use the device to study - aiding her in her dream to become a doctor.
“I’m in year 11, so I wanted something that I can use for studying and playing games to relax!,” explained the teen. When she heard that she would be getting a new laptop she was thrilled: “I was really happy! I could actually get a laptop that I could use!”
Now Benedicta can use her laptop to study, also taking well-deserved study breaks whilst playing her favourite game, Roblox.
Benedicta with her new laptop
How Benedicta's wish helped
June 2024
"A lot of hard things happened to me. It's nice to have something that you may not be able to afford. It's something that makes you happy! Thank you very much for making my wish possible - I'm so grateful for everything that Make-A-Wish has done for me!"
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