‘Doing something positive for the world’
Dylan Bromley, who was the recipient of a ‘magical’ Make-A-Wish family trip, is a longtime volunteer with the organization that makes dreams come true for critically ill children
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/03/2023 (1080 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Dylan Bromley doesn’t live in a magic lamp but he has the power to grant wishes.
Since 2017, the 28 year old has volunteered as a wish granter with Make-A-Wish Canada. The organization makes some dreams come true for children with critical illnesses.
Bromley works as a liaison between the organization and the family of the child receiving the wish. Bromley lets them know what the possibilities are, helps them come up with their dream scenario and organizes the logistics.
Winnipegger Dylan Bromley, who is a volunteer with Make-a-Wish Canada, enjoys playing the guitar. (Brook Jones / Winnipeg Free Press)
“I’m a firm believer in building your own purpose and destiny in life, and using your skills and passions for helping the world,” Bromley says. “Volunteering with Make-A-Wish gives me a direction and lets me know I’m doing something positive for the world.”
The Charleswood resident, who works in business development at an industrial packaging company, knows first-hand the impact that Make-A-Wish has.
He was born with a congenital heart defect known as transposition of the great arteries. It’s a serious, rare problem in which the two main arteries leaving the heart are reversed.
Shortly after his birth, Bromley was flown to Saskatoon where he had lifesaving surgery at two days old.
Bromley lives with a heart murmur and sees a cardiologist annually, but has required no other surgeries since.
“I’m extremely lucky — blessed, really,” he says. “It hasn’t been too life-altering in my adult life thankfully, at least not yet, and I pray that it doesn’t.”
When Bromley was 17, a local charity that supports children with heart defects connected him to Make-A-Wish.
Bromley requested a Disney experience, so he and his family were flown to Florida where they visited Disney World and set sail on a Disney cruise.
“I wanted my wish to be something we could do as a family, as a way to give back for everything they had invested in my health and recovery journey,” says Bromley, who has an older brother and a younger sister. “Disney seemed like the perfect fit.”
It was an incredible trip.
“Disney is that destination I think everyone should experience once — they truly try to make it a magical experience there,” Bromley says. “I just remember leaving there feeling like the most special person in the world.”
One of the reasons Bromley started volunteering with Make-A-Wish is that he wants to give families the same opportunity he had when he was a teenager.
He remembers the first wish he helped grant, which was for a young boy named Brayden Graft.
Brayden, who has a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle weakness, wanted to be a firefighter.
Make-A-Wish teamed up with the Grunthal Fire Department to make him a firefighter for a day.
Brayden was given personalized firefighting gear and participated in training exercises that included putting out a fire.
Afterward, he was the guest of honour in his very own parade down the main street of his hometown, which culminated in a community barbecue at the fire hall.
Brayden was inducted into the fire hall as an honorary firefighter for life, and he arrived home to find a fire truck play structure that had been built to suit his physical needs.
“Everybody was so willing to work toward celebrating Brayden,” Bromley says. “It gave me a true taste of what Make-A-Wish is capable of.”
Since 1983, Make-A-Wish Canada has granted more than 37,000 wishes across the country. The organization relies on about 100 volunteers to assist its Manitoba chapter.
Make-A-Wish is looking for more passionate, kindhearted people to volunteer as wish granters and to help with fundraising events. Visit makeawish.ca for details.
If you know a special volunteer, please contact aaron.epp@gmail.com.
Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. Read more about Aaron.
Every piece of reporting Aaron produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Volunteer opportunities
The following is a list of volunteer opportunities for Winnipeg and surrounding areas. For more information about these listings, please contact the organization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can assist you in finding an opportunity. To learn more about its programs and services, go to www.volunteermanitoba.ca or call 204-477-5180.
Parkinson Canada needs advisory council members. The volunteer council advises the CEO to ensure the voices of people affected by Parkinson’s are integrated throughout the organization. There are multiple membership openings for three-year terms. Apply online at http://wfp.to/05V by Friday.
New Pride of Winnipeg, a support group at the Rainbow Resource Centre, needs a group co-facilitator. The volunteer must have lived experience as a newcomer and will work with the current facilitator. The volunteer will help organize content and activities to deliver to the group, schedule and promote meetings, manage group communications (email and social media), attend and facilitate meetings, welcome first-time attendees, liaise between the group and the centre (including providing monthly reporting) and attend centre events as a representative of the group. The time commitment is four to 10 hours per month, with meetings occurring once or twice monthly in the evenings and/or on weekends. Apply by email at programming@rainbowresourcecentre.org or at http://wfp.to/05L by April 4.
The Movement Centre of Manitoba needs a graphic designer to update existing print and digital materials, and create new ones, using Adobe Cloud products. The volunteer will design and/or update and enhance marketing material including posters, brochures, sponsorship packages, advertisements, and other types of print and online media. They will design content for the organization’s website and social-media accounts, help with the ongoing development of the organization’s website and collaborate with executive staff members to translate messaging concepts into marketing materials. Apply online at http://wfp.to/058 by April 10.
The following is a list of volunteer opportunities for Winnipeg and surrounding areas. For more information about these listings, please contact the organization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can assist you in finding an opportunity. To learn more about its programs and services, go to www.volunteermanitoba.ca or call 204-477-5180.
Parkinson Canada needs advisory council members. The volunteer council advises the CEO to ensure the voices of people affected by Parkinson’s are integrated throughout the organization. There are multiple membership openings for three-year terms. Apply online at http://wfp.to/05V by Friday.
New Pride of Winnipeg, a support group at the Rainbow Resource Centre, needs a group co-facilitator. The volunteer must have lived experience as a newcomer and will work with the current facilitator. The volunteer will help organize content and activities to deliver to the group, schedule and promote meetings, manage group communications (email and social media), attend and facilitate meetings, welcome first-time attendees, liaise between the group and the centre (including providing monthly reporting) and attend centre events as a representative of the group. The time commitment is four to 10 hours per month, with meetings occurring once or twice monthly in the evenings and/or on weekends. Apply by email at programming@rainbowresourcecentre.org or at http://wfp.to/05L by April 4.
The Movement Centre of Manitoba needs a graphic designer to update existing print and digital materials, and create new ones, using Adobe Cloud products. The volunteer will design and/or update and enhance marketing material including posters, brochures, sponsorship packages, advertisements, and other types of print and online media. They will design content for the organization’s website and social-media accounts, help with the ongoing development of the organization’s website and collaborate with executive staff members to translate messaging concepts into marketing materials. Apply online at http://wfp.to/058 by April 10.
The Manitoba Burrowing Owl Recovery Program needs a volunteer to help with fundraising efforts. It is a non-profit conservation program working to help the endangered species recover. The program runs on private and public funding and donations. This volunteer will seek grants and funding opportunities. Must have a professional and friendly telephone manner, good written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work independently. The volunteer also must have grant-writing, budget and previous fundraising experience. Email mbburrowingowls@gmail.com by April 15.
The Alzheimer Society of Manitoba needs two people to join its governance board. Interested, qualified people from across Manitoba and from diverse backgrounds are asked to apply by April 21. For more information, go to alzheimer.mb.ca.
The Canadian Cancer Society needs provincial advisory board members. Members promote, participate in, and support the mission and activities of the society by helping to fundraise and promote the organization. Email micholmes@deloitte.ca by May 31.
Good Neighbours Active Living Centre needs volunteer drivers to take seniors to health-care appointments and on errands. Drivers co-ordinate trips through the seniors resource co-ordinator. Volunteers must be punctual and dependable, and keep the co-ordinator informed regarding their availability. Must maintain confidentiality, ensure the vehicle is safe to drive, provide annual updates on vehicle insurance and registration, and immediately report incidents or concerns. Volunteers must have a valid driver’s licence and a safe driving record, with a maximum of two demerits. To apply, email resrf@gnalc.ca or call 204-667-6812 by June 1.
Victoria Lifeline needs volunteers to install and service Lifeline in homes around Winnipeg. Must be available one day per week, and have a valid driver’s licence and access to a vehicle. Expenses will be reimbursed monthly, and training is provided. Call 204-956-6773 or go to http://wfp.to/oQ0 by March 31.
Tetra Winnipeg needs technical volunteers such as retired engineers or engineers-in-training, occupational therapists, budding architectural designers or seasoned carpenters. You are invited to attend a chapter meeting to hear about requests for assistance or completed projects, meet other volunteers, and either lead a new project or offer to help with an existing one. Tetra will train volunteers and provide materials to build connections in the community and help foster solutions to help people with physical disabilities. Apply at http://wfp.to/0Bj by April 1. Email WinnipegMB@Tetrasociety.org with any questions.
The Canadian Red Cross needs volunteers. When disaster strikes, you can help, and the Red Cross can show you how. Go to www.redcross.ca/volunteer, email volunteer@redcross.ca or call 1-844-818-2155.
Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. Read more about Aaron.
Every piece of reporting Aaron produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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