SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University Athletics Department, in conjunction with the Shippensburg University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), will be hosting a wish reveal for a local child through Make-A-Wish® Philadelphia, Northern Delaware & Susquehanna Valley. The event will take place Wednesday, February 24 at halftime of the SU women's basketball game.
 
Shippensburg University will be hosting Bloomsburg University in a basketball doubleheader that evening, with the women's game to begin the festivities at 6 p.m. At halftime, five-year-old James "Jay" Dawson will be surprised with a wish reveal through Make-A-Wish® Philadelphia, Northern Delaware & Susquehanna Valley.
 
Jay Dawson is a young boy who lives in Highspire with his parents and twin brothers. His mother, Tiffany, is a 2005 SU graduate. Jay enjoys doing what most young children his age do: playing superhero, riding his bike, watching Toy Story and playing with his brothers.
 
By the time Jay had reached two years of age, he was already dealing with constant sickness and medical issues in his life. His eventual diagnosis was a brain tumor, which has resulted in numerous surgeries and therapies. Jay continues to battle with neurological damage from the operations on his brain occurring at such a young age as well as additional trauma from the tumor while trying to live his life to the fullest.
 
Shippensburg University is encouraging as many people to attend this special event as possible in order to create a memorable environment for Jay Dawson and his family. Among scheduled promotions that evening include free t-shirts to the first 500 fans and a free ice cream sundae bar for all in attendance.
 
The opportunity for a wish reveal came about through the efforts of SU's SAAC, who donated $5,298.14 to Make-A-Wish as a result of their fund-raising efforts in the 2014-15 academic year. More information about SAAC's fund-raising efforts are available at http://shipraiders.com/news/2015/10/27/SAAC_1027154425.aspx.
 
Tiffany Dawson learned about Make-A-Wish® Philadelphia, Northern Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, the area's largest wish granting organization serving children with life-threatening medical conditions, during an inpatient stay at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital last fall. After completing the application with Make-A-Wish, Jay's parents learned that his condition qualified him for a wish. A team of volunteers met with Jay and his family to determine his one special wish, which will be revealed February 24.
 
About Make-A-Wish®
 
Make-A-Wish® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true can have positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illnesses, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Based in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 28,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 35 minutes. It has granted more than 270,000 wishes since its inception in 1980.  Make-A-Wish® Philadelphia, Northern Delaware & Susquehanna Valley serves Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery, Perry & Philadelphia counties in PA and New Castle County in Delaware.  In 2016 we celebrate 30 years of wishes for over 5,600 children since 1986. For more info, please visit philasv.wish.org.