Sunday marked the 30th anniversary of the Ms. Orange Fan Luncheon. The fundraiser comes as a partnership between Make-A-Wish Central New York and the Syracuse University Men’s Basketball Coach, Jim Boeheim.

A 1997 recipient of Make-A-Wish was in attendance on Sunday. She has been coming to the luncheon since she was just eight years old.

Amy Bradt, 32, was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma at 6 years old. It is a cancer that most often occurs in and around the bones. For Bradt, it was inside of her jaw.

“Our whole world was turned upside down,” Bradt said. “Make-A-Wish gave the opportunity for me and my family to go away and be together and to live a normal life.”

She made a wish to go to Hawaii where she celebrated her 7th birthday.

“They sent us to Hawaii for 10 days where we were VIPs at luaus, snorkeling and swimming with dolphins,” Bradt said. “It gave me that chance to see life outside of the hospital, just to feel normal and be normal. My whole family and I are forever grateful for that.”

She has been cancer free for 25 years and her last surgery was four years ago.

“She’s been so positive through the entire thing,” Amy’s mother, Sue, said. “It’s when you realize the resilience that a child has to make it through this kind of thing.”

Amy says the partnership between Make-A-Wish and Syracuse University Men’s Basketball team can help give other kids the unforgettable experience she had. To date, the luncheon has raised nearly $2 million to grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

“Just to know that other families are going to get opportunities to give their children,
something that all these people are here to donate money and get wishes to other families, it’s just a great feeling,” Amy said.

Bradt is now at Upstate Medical Hospital where she is the pediatric coordinator for the respiratory department. She says she feels like her life has come full circle because she is now taking care of the kids going through the same thing she did.