Per Duke Comms:
RALEIGH, N.C. (Make-A-Wish) – Make-A-Wish America, in conjunction with the Make-A-Wish chapter in Eastern North Carolina, has presented the 2020 Chris Greicius Award to Duke men’s basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke men’s basketball program. This award recognizes the exceptional wish-granting support exemplified by Coach K and the team in helping create life-changing wish experiences for children fighting critical illness.
The Blue Devils become the first collegiate program nationally the earn the honor that has been presented since 1990 to organizations and individuals such as the Green Bay Packers, the New York Yankees, Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Dave Matthew Band, Adam Sandler, Garth Brooks, Stephen Curry, and many others.
Coach K and the Duke men’s basketball program partner with Make-A-Wish to create once-in-a-lifetime moments for wish kids, inviting them into the Duke family, enabling them to see the world as a Duke Blue Devil basketball player, and empowering them to believe the impossible is possible.
The Chris Greicius Award honors the excellence shown in support of wish kids and creating life-changing wish experiences. Coach K and the team have been granting wishes for over a decade — nine wishes since 2012 alone — the most recent being an incredible wish experience for Make-A-Wish New Jersey wish kid Antonio Sellers, whose wish to attend a Duke vs. North Carolina basketball game at Cameron Indoor Stadium was granted this past March.
This wish received extensive regional and national coverage and serves as the most recent example of the dedicated time and compassion given to each child who has requested to meet Coach K. Granting wishes can be a turning point in a child’s fight against their illness or a celebration of knowing that their darkest moments are behind them.
About The Chris Greicius Celebrity Award
The annual Chris Greicius Celebrity Award recognizes the exceptional wish-granting support by celebrities, influencers and athletes to further the mission of Make-A-Wish®. This award honors individuals or entities within the entertainment and sports community who go above and beyond in wish granting and/or supporting the organization through awareness/ambassadorship and fundraising. The award is named after the little boy whose wish inspired the creation of the Make-A-Wish organization. Make-A-Wish traces its inspiration to Christopher James Greicius, an energetic 7-year-old boy battling leukemia who wished to be a police officer. In 1980, his Phoenix community came together to make his wish come true. Little did Chris know that his wish would create a movement that would transform millions of lives.
About Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina
Make-A-Wish® Eastern North Carolina creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illness. We seek to bring every eligible child’s wish to life because every child deserves a childhood. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness. We serve all medically eligible children who reside in the 49 counties east of the Orange / Alamance county line. Our chapter operates solely through generous donations of individuals, corporations and foundations. With the help of more than 350 volunteers, including our Board of Directors, Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina has granted more than 3,950 wishes since its inception. More information is available on our chapter website at eastnc.wish.org. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
