Isabelle's Wish

During the Fall of 2008 Isabelle, 8 years old, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease which is a form of cancer in her lymph nodes. She has undergone harsh treatments to help rid her body of this disease and she still smiles. She is now in remission!Isabelle had a very unique wish. Out of all of the wishes she could have chosen (”I wish to be, to meet, to go…” Isabelle chose “to have a piano.” She didn’t want just any piano. Isabelle wanted a “blue” piano so that she can learn how to play her favorite songs “Two Voices” from Barbie® Diamond Castle and from Fantasia 2000 “Rhapsody in Blue.”

The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Eastern Ontario set out to make Isabelle's wish come true! We met with “Ottawa Pianos” a local piano retailer and upon their recommendation ordered a beautiful upright Cable-Nelson piano. In order to make it blue, we engaged Neil Robichaud of Graphiki, a local graphic & decal designer, who offered to design and finish the piano based on Isabelle's “imagination”. We still wanted to keep the finished product for a surprise so we showed her a picture of a piano and had her tell us what she wanted … well, she wanted all her favorite things … Flowers, Grass, Butterflies! Needless to say, Neil had a huge task and the finished product was fantastic. Isabelle was surprised and moved to tears when family and friends unveiled the piano during a surprise party held in her honor.