SK Inno Launches Wish Fulfillment Project for Children with Incurable Diseases

60 Members of SKI Group Formed
Inauguration of the 1st 'Wish Maker' Volunteer Corps

Members of SK Innovation affiliates are taking a commemorative photo at the launch ceremony of the first Wishmaker held on the 8th at SK Seorin Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by SK Innovation

Members of the SK Innovation group have engaged in volunteer activities to fulfill the wishes of children with incurable diseases, whose medical expenses they have been supporting.

On the 8th, SK Innovation announced on the 9th that it held the inaugural launch ceremony for the volunteer group "Wish Maker," dedicated to fulfilling the wishes of children with incurable diseases such as leukemia and pediatric cancer. Sixty MZ generation members from SK Innovation group companies participated as volunteers at the ceremony.

According to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which co-hosts this project with SK Innovation, the children with incurable diseases, called "Wish Kids," and the volunteers working to fulfill their wishes, called "Wish Makers," will embark on a three-month "Wish Journey."

To this end, the Wish Makers formed teams of 7 to 8 members and will fulfill wishes through face-to-face and non-face-to-face communication with the Wish Kids, including experiences of desired careers, meetings with stars such as influencers, and domestic travel. Their journey will conclude with a "Wish Day," the day the wishes are fulfilled, and a closing ceremony.

An SK Innovation official said, "We hope this project will help patients and their families, who are physically and mentally exhausted from long-term treatment, regain psychological stability and hope," adding, "MZ generation members of SK Innovation, who have supported medical expenses for children with incurable diseases for the past 15 years, actively participated to share dreams and hope with the sick younger siblings."

Since 2008, SK Innovation has been running a medical expense support program for children with incurable diseases, with total support amounting to 3 billion KRW. In particular, since 2017, support has been provided through the 1% Happiness Sharing Fund, created by SK Innovation group members donating 1% of their base salary.

Including the first Wish Maker group, SK Innovation plans to match a total of 160 volunteers with 20 children with incurable diseases by the end of this year to carry out wish-fulfillment volunteer activities.