Making dreams come true

Exchange District

Winnipeg

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This article was published 26/02/2025 (502 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dreams can come true — literally.

For the last 40 years, the Dream Factory has been bringing dreams to life for youth battling serious illness in Winnipeg. This year, the grassroots organization is gearing up to reshape how it’s seen by the public — both literally and metaphorically.

In November, the charity officially settled in to its new location at 93 Lombard Ave., a big change after 25 years in the same space. It officially opened the new space on Feb. 8., where kids currently or previously involved with the organization were the first to try Dream Factory’s brand-new ‘dream machine.’

Andrew Kussy, executive director of the Dream Factory, said the ‘dream machine’ is self-explanatory. When sick kids begin their journeys with Dream Factory, they are given a dream token — something to hold on to and serve as a reminder during their treatment — and, when the time comes to make that dream come true, they insert the token into the dream machine and press its big red button.

“Every kid wants to press the big red button,” Kussy said, with a laugh.

Their dream token is launched in the air (literally, through a network of tunnels) and sent soaring across the new office space — which is decorated top-to-bottom with friendly colours, toys and child-accessible goodies — until it returns as a charm representing their dream.

It’s an experience that Kussy said is finally representative of the organization

“What we were starting to see (at the previous location) is that kids who were coming to visit us were showing up feeling anxious, uncertain, nervous, and in some situations, even scared,” Kussy said. “We had a moment where a little guy came for his first meeting at the Dream Factory, and upon entering our office, burst into tears. He was so convinced that he was going to be receiving tests and treatments in our space that he did not want to be in there. And that’s the moment we, as a team, knew that we needed to make a change.”

The new Dream Factory space aims to look like a place where dreams can come true, he said — safe, comfortable and fun.

It’s also representative of what the organization does day-in and day-out, he continued. While kids may go on a dream trip to a Disney park, that’s only one week of what, for many families, can be a five- or six-year experience.

“I think the public knows the Dream Factory really well for a handful of things … we’ve been showing the community a seven-day snapshot of a seven-year journey, and we’re really excited to start introducing our community to what the rest of that experience looks like,” Kussy said.

Last year, the Dream Factory distributed just under $200,000 in financial support for families with a child in critical treatment. These funds can cover gas, groceries, travel for treatment, and more. The non-profit also pays for parking spaces outside the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg.

The Dream Factory hosts a plethora of events throughout the year, as well, ranging from ‘Puppy Pawties’ starring Winnipeg Blue Bombers to family movie nights, all to support kids and their families through years of treatment and expenses.

“It’s a true privilege,” Kussy said. “People will often say, ‘I could never do what you guys do,’ or ‘I could never work there, it would be too difficult.’ And while we hear that, our team, collectively, shares the perspective that … if you were given the opportunity or the privilege to be the very best part of someone’s worst experience, wouldn’t you take it?”

“It’s a tremendous responsibility … but one that we’re also so proud of and equally grateful to our community and to Manitoba for allowing us to do, and it’s only because of that support that any of this can happen.”

For more information or to make a donation, visit thedreamfactory.ca