The team and its Committees

Since I started working at Make-A-Wish as Wish coordinator, I have had the privilege of seeing many children living with critical illness and their families smile again.

The power of a wish is so wonderful that the joy and happiness seen in our children and their loved ones becomes contagious. Together with wonderful volunteers and our generous partners and all the people that help us turn our children dreams into reality, I am happy to contribute, in my own modest way, in the beautiful achievement of Make-A-Wish.

I am highly motivated to be working at Make-A-Wish.

It is comforting to know that one can bring some happiness and magic to children and their families.

Michelle Schmocker

Regional Manager 

German-speaking

Switzerland & Liechtenstein

(80%)

Being part of a team that realizes the life-changing wishes of children with serious illnesses is a very enriching and humbling experience. Each wish has a profound impact not only on our children, but also on their families and on all those affected by this story. I can‘t think of anything more valuable to do with my spare time.

After participating in the fulfillment of a wish in my workplace, I was touched by the wonderful mission of Make-A. Wish. Seeing this child‘s eyes light up because his wish was finally coming true, allowing him to forget about treatments for a day was something very touching.

So I decided to regularly give some of my free time to this cause and it‘s a real pleasure to collaborate with the Make-A-Wish team who do an exceptional job!!

I had the privilege to be invited to join the Board of Make-A-Wish in 2020. I was thrilled to join such a tremendously meaningful charitable organisation. A universal cause that we all care about – bringing happiness to a ill child and his family. The team is amazing, experienced and fully committed.

As a mother of 2 boys, one disabled, I am fully convinced that every grape of happy moment is energising for the whole family. I am committed to contribute to the mission of Make-A-Wish and put my expertise as international lawyer, perseverant problem solver and enthusiast of life to serve the children and their families.

As a mother I always been concerned by children health and education, which are my key priorities. I support several projects in both areas and I am honoured today to be as well part of this great team of Make-a-Wish.

But as well as an independent board member, tax lawyer and family governance expert, I advise and accompany families to find sustainable solutions for the next generations and I am thankful to be able to use today my long expertise for helping ill children and their families.

Make-A-Wish and I share the view that granting the wishes of seriously ill children is right and justified so that the child feels better psychologically. In my forty years of experience as a doctor, I have seen how important the well-being of the child and the support of the family are for the success of the treatment. A happy child, who has been able to realise his or her dream, is more tolerant of the side effects of the therapy (allowing the dosage and duration of the therapy to be increased) and is more tolerant of pain (allowing painkillers to be reduced).

I am very pleased and honoured to have recently been elected to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Board and I am committed to making sure that as many seriously ill children as possible get a wish. Furthermore, I am very happy to put my forty years of professional experience, my privileged relations in the German and Italian speaking part of Switzerland and my time at the service of the children, their families and Make-A-Wish.

Andrea Schaller

Member

Medical Doctor

Paediatric surgeon

Chief of Neonatology and Intensive Care – HUG

Oncologist

Inselspital (Berne hospital)

Chief Medical Officer – Hematology-Oncology UKBB