We had the wonderful opportunity to film at the Rainbow Connection, based in Rochester Hills. Michigan.

The Rainbow Connection is known for granting wishes to children with life threatening illnesses. Over the years, over 3,400 wishes have been granted to children who have stared down the barrel of a terminal illness, quite often a form of cancer. By granting these wishes, lifts their spirits as well as those family members taking care of them. No request is ever out of reach for Ingrid Todt, Wish Director. “If a child wants it, we will do everything in our power to make it happen”, noted Ms. Todt. There is even a story of a major Grammy award-winning singer visiting a child at their bedside, just days before passing.

Ingrid Todt works passionately to help make all the wishes come true; many of the requests that are granted involve the entire family traveling to Disney World for a memorable adventure – thanks to Give the Kids the World Village in central Florida, who offers free stay for families and children who are facing life threatening illnesses.

Give the Kids the World Village was founded by Henri Landwirth, a Holocaust survivor who felt every child should have the chance to see the wonders of Walt Disney’s vision. The Rainbow Connection relies a great deal on the relationship they have forged over the years, granting wishes for kids to go to Disney World.

Rainbow Connection was founded in 1985. Today, it is under the leadership of George Miller, a tall gentleman who brings to the organization years of savvy business networking that is so important to keep an organization that relies on corporate support able to grant wishes. But, while these characteristics are so critical to a leader of a 501(c)3 organization like Rainbow Connection, George’s motivation is far more personal. His daughter, when she was a teenager, was one of those kids who was a recipient of a wish – a wish that was nothing short of creative for the dynamic young teen. Mandy wanted a horse to be leased for her. Ingrid, who was new to the organization back then, remembers the wish and Mandy quite well. As George shared with us, the horse brought the whole family together even though they had no experience with horses. Mandy, unfortunately, lost the battle to her rare cancer and George went on with his career path, which was as a Lead Director at Oakland County at the time. As George began to look to retirement, the position of director at Rainbow Connection opened up and George jumped at the opportunity.

We are thrilled to be featuring the Rainbow Connection in our film, “Those on the Front Lines of Cancer”

To learn more about the Rainbow Connection, please go to: https://www.rainbowconnection.org/