To mark its ‘75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars’ anniversary, Porsche donates 1.8 million euros to Make-A-Wish. Since being founded in 1980, the foundation has fulfilled the wishes of more than 550,000 children in 50 countries. In reference to the first Porsche – the Porsche 356, Porsche’s donation will contribute to fulfilling the wishes of 356 children with critical illnesses all around the world.
“Porsche is synonymous with dreams. And for us, financial success and social responsibility go hand in hand”, says Chairman of the Executive Board Oliver Blume. “Together with our partner Make-A-Wish, we want to give children and their families an extra boost of hope at a difficult time.”
“We are honoured to be included in Porsche’s 75 anniversary celebrations, marking our longstanding partnership. In 2023 alone, Porsche has helped transform the lives of 75 children who are living with critical illnesses, with plans to reach many more over the coming years. We look forward to continuing to work together, inspire each other and most importantly – to make wishes come true”, says Luciano Manzo, CEO of Make-A-Wish International.
The first 75 wishes have already been fulfilled through the cooperation between Make-A-Wish and Porsche. Here are four examples:
Evan, 18, USA
Evan had a rough time with weekly chemotherapy treatments. The 18-year-old was diagnosed with Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Especially during this time, he dreamt every day of restoring his first car, a Porsche 944. With the support of Porsche, his dream came true. The sports car became Evan’s emotional lifeline, providing the young car enthusiast with motivation and a reason to get out of bed even on the painful days of chemotherapy.
Leon, 17, Germany
After being diagnosed with brain cancer, Leon refused to give up. He loves nature and now a big wish has come true: a real survival training experience in the forest. With an outdoor guide, the 17-year-old learned how to make fire on his own and orientate himself in the forest. The following day, Leon and his family went to the Porsche Experience Centre Hockenheimring. There he was able to experience the off-road course and test his own driving skills in the simulator.
Jung Jaeung, 11, South Korea
Jung Jaeung’s sister wanted to make her own music video, so Jung Jaeung decided to film the video himself. The 11-year-old suffers from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Director Lee Ho Yeol and Porsche Korea fulfilled his great wish: to learn how to fly a drone and edit the videos. Jung Jaeung had the opportunity to film a Porsche Taycan with a drone and then edit the material himself.
Jeanne, 8, Switzerland
A cuddly toy in the shape of an owl is Jeanne’s constant companion. The 8-year-old girl suffers from leukaemia. Especially when hospital stays are pending, the owl gives her strength. It was therefore a lifelong dream of Jeanne’s to see an owl fly and hold it in her arms. With Porsche and Make-A-Wish, this dream became a reality. At the zoo, she was able to experience the animal up close together with the zoo’s falconer. Jeanne’s father: “It was an experience that Jeanne will carry in her heart for a very, very long time to come. By the way, at the end of the day, Jeanne had decided that she wanted to become a falconer.”