The Wish Ambulance
At the age of two, Rafael Yotam Cohen was diagnosed with Leukemia. By seven years old, his cancer returned for the third time. Yotam’s childhood dream was to fly on a helicopter, and Magen David Adom’s Wish Ambulance made this dream a reality.
Yotam underwent intense chemotherapy for his cancer and in attempt to alleviate his pain, his parents reached out to Magen David Adom. With the help of MDA’s Wish Ambulance, Yotam was able to fulfill his dream of riding on a helicopter while accompanied by a veteran pilot who explained the mechanics behind flying.
Rafael Yotam in the new Wish Ambulance
MDA’s Wish Ambulance project formed in 2009 and has since fulfilled thousands of critically ill patients’ last wishes. Magen David Adom created this project in order to help these patients reach their dreams both physically and mentally; whether that dream is to meet a celebrity or take a tour of Beer Sheva in a helicopter, in Yotam’s case. Each trip is coordinated in advance what their wish is and the location of the patient. The trips are planned with patient’s physicians as well as their parents. Medical professionals accompany every patient on their journey and up to three family members are allowed to join.
Patients are typically transported to their destination on one of three Magen David Adom Wish Ambulances, the third ambulance having been introduced this year by MDA of Australia Melbourne. The Wish Ambulances are equipped with special features such as adjustable beds and a camera instillation allowing patients to see their outside surroundings while in the ambulance.
This voluntary, free service is a reflection of MDA’s Jewish values as the Wish Ambulance is a project dedicated to alleviating pain by giving patients and their families hope. Whether it be a soldier in the IDF or a child such as 7-year-old Yotam, MDA’s Wish Ambulance aims to fulfill any and every critically ill patient’s dream.
To request a wish, contact 1800-600-101 or email Wishamb@mda.org.il
