A Wish Come True: Hudson Lions Support Make-A-Wish Iowa

For Hudson kindergartner Cora Slominski, a wish to become a princess turned into a magical trip to Disney World, where she met her favorite princesses, dined at Cinderella’s castle and wore her princess dress every day — even at the airport on the way home.

For Cora and her family, the experience was much more than a vacation. It was a chance to make joyful memories during a difficult journey with childhood leukemia.

Cora’s story is one example of the life-changing experiences made possible by Make-A-Wish Iowa, an organization that grants wishes to children facing critical illnesses in all 99 Iowa counties.

The Hudson Lions Club members were deeply moved by their September speaker, Paul Lee of Make-A-Wish Iowa. Following Lee’s presentation, the club donated $200 to the nonprofit organization. Individual Lions were also inspired to give, contributing an additional $325, bringing the total to $525.

An average wish costs about $15,000.

Wishes for children generally fall into three categories: They can “be somebody,” “go somewhere” or “get something.”

Sometimes a child wants to “be somebody,” such as a firefighter or police officer. Make-A-Wish helps make that dream come true by providing a uniform and badge, having the child officially sworn in and giving them the opportunity to experience what it is like to do the job.

Many children choose to “go somewhere.” One child and his family had the opportunity to go skiing in the French Alps. Many children and their families choose to visit Disney World.

In July, a 6-year-old boy from New York wished to visit John Deere to see where his grandfather’s tractor was made. He and his family were flown to Waterloo, where John Deere rolled out the red carpet for them. He watched a tractor being built, and a special Make-A-Wish engraving, along with his name, was placed on the tractor.

Another popular wish is to attend a sporting event and meet a favorite athlete or team. For these children, meeting their sports heroes can become a memory they will treasure for a lifetime.

Finally, some children wish to “get something.” One child wished for a swing set, while another wanted a new playroom in her basement. In a recent edition of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, a young boy with a heart of gold made a wish to have a party for people experiencing homelessness, during which toys were given to participants.

These may seem like simple wishes, but for children facing serious illnesses, they can bring tremendous joy and create special memories for the entire family.

For Cora and her family, that joy came at a time when they needed it most.

Cora was diagnosed with leukemia just after her fourth birthday in 2025. After a long journey involving months in the hospital, multiple surgeries, spinal taps and chemotherapy, Cora is now in remission and completing the maintenance phase of her treatment.

Make-A-Wish was there for the Slominskis from the beginning. Natalie Dlouhy of Hudson was one of Cora’s volunteer “wish granters” for Make-A-Wish.

The wish granters met with Cora in person to discover her wish and later revealed it at a festive event at the Hudson Public Library. Having real-life wish granters work with Cora brought the excitement and magic to life throughout the process.

Cora’s wish to become a princess came true in May 2026, when her family traveled to Disney World. There, she met as many princesses as she could, became a princess herself at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in the Magic Kingdom and enjoyed dinner at Cinderella’s castle.

The Slominskis will be forever grateful to Make-A-Wish for that magical week.

Lee’s presentation reminded the Lions that a wish can be much more than a gift — it can give a child and their family hope, joy and the chance to simply be a child during a very difficult time.