“I wish to go to Iceland“
Every child deserves a childhood full of joyful memories. There are more children just like Saga, who are waiting on their wishes to be granted.
Saga’s life has been met with many challenges due to a cerebral hemorrhage she suffered 3 years ago, which left her in critical condition. During her recovery she used a wheelchair but longed for a life of freedom and adventure. So when we asked what the 12-year-old girl wanted, she told us that she wished to travel to Iceland and go horse riding!
On her wish day, Saga and her mom flew to Reykjavik where they kick-started their adventure by visiting a horse farm near Eldhestar. Saga stayed in a guest house by the stables. She didn’t mind the Icelandic weather, spending the following days outdoors with horses despite the cold, rain and fog.
On day #2, Saga enjoyed a generous breakfast before preparing for a big trek to see the waterfalls. Riding a horse from the stable, she went up into the mountains in Hverjagerði, where the fog was thick, so she couldn’t see the bottom of the cliffs. The paths were steep and slippery, but the horses were good at finding the right places to put their hooves. After 6 hours of pure adventure, Saga recalls the deafening sounds of gushing waterfalls in the mist.
On day #3, Saga made the most out of a sunny day by riding to the beach where she galloped on the black sand with her favorite horse, a gray mare called Vón (the Icelandic word for “Hope”). Before Saga and her mom flew back to Denmark, they managed to do more hiking, glaciers and even saw the northern lights, which in her own words: “couldn’t have been more perfect”.
The next time Saga sits in a hospital room, she can now dream away to Iceland and all the good memories.
Niamh Ryan is Senior Manager, PR and Communications at Make-A-Wish International, having joined the organisation in 2022 after 5 years at Make-A-Wish Ireland. Niamh oversees the organisation’s internal and external communications and looks after media relations and media strategy. With a background in digital marketing, she is passionate about employing the latest technology and trends to help more people learn about the life-changing power of a wish-come-true!