“I want to hold a concert to express gratitude to my family, friends, healthcare professionals, and the bone marrow donor.”
Jarvis, 10, Myelodysplastic Syndrome
【Unforgettable 20 minutes of my life】
Jarvis is a little boy whose experiences have been like a rollercoaster ride. Despite being diagnosed with a rare disease in 2018 and going through difficult times such as suspension from school, chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and staying in ICU (Intensive Care Unit), he did not let these obstacles stop him from pursuing his passion for music. During the 25th anniversary celebration of Make-A-Wish Hong Kong, Jarvis, as a drummer and a professional band, created a J-Party mini-concert. With powerful drum beats and singing, they performed a short but unforgettable 20-minute show for nearly 400 wish children and their families, healthcare professionals, volunteers, and others in attendance. The performance also validated the anniversary theme of “WISHES Transform Lives. HOPE Begins with You.”
Before the performance, a group of Jarvis’s fans was ready with support light sticks and banners to cheer Jarvis on, while many Wish families also arrived at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel Ballroom to see Jarvis’s performance. Of course, the Wish team was also there to support. In the early stage of his treatment, the Wish team had started catching Jarvis’s wish, but due to the pandemic, Jarvis could not travel abroad. However, this allowed everyone to focus more on Jarvis’s interest, he loves music and drumming. He loves to play drums because he looks cool and powerful, and Jarvis enjoys playing music on stage. As a result, Jarvis had a new goal in mind – he learned to play the drums while going in and out of the hospital. This year, the Wish team contacted Mr. Ronald Cheng (Ronald), a singer in Hong Kong, and Jarvis finally got his long-awaited performance opportunity. Three months ago, Jarvis started brainstorming with the RTV and Wish teams about the performance, song selection, professional drumming training, and even including professional styling photoshoots guided by Ronald.
The concert began with Jarvis and Hong Kong renowned musician Mr. Joey Tang on drums and guitar. After warming up, Jarvis sang his specially selected song, “Good Health,” to convey his love to his mother and grandmother and thank them for their meticulous care during his illness. At the same time, he also dedicated the song to all the Wish children, wishing them good health. His heartfelt expression touched the audience, and the J-Party mini-concert ended with thunderous applause, cheers, and encouragement.
“New hope becomes an endless source of motivation”
After the performance, Jarvis’s father shared their wish journey on stage. He expressed that he felt the power of changing lives – even though the treatment process was difficult, the wish experience gave the children hope and motivation, enabling them to be brave and look forward to the future. He also pointed out the secret to making wishes come true: This is not one person’s effort! It won’t be achieved without others’ support! Dozens of staff members prepared for months behind the scenes for J-Party, and with the support of audience, especially thanks to the Wish team! So many people came together to make Jarvis’s wish come true and make this happen!”
And Jarvis was still very excited after the performance: “The experience of illness has made me cherish everything I have! Through this performance, I hope to thank my family, friends, healthcare professionals, and bone marrow donors. At the same time, I want to show my support to others through my singing and drumming, and spread hope to other Wish children and patients. I hope that everyone can be like me, be brave and face all the challenges, not give up easily when encountering any difficulties, and persist in pursuing their dreams.”
