(West Palm Beach, FL), February 8, 2019—An eight-year-old boy battling a brain stem tumor will get his wish to attend the Bobsled & Skeleton World Cup in Lake Placid, New York and ride in a bobsled with elite athletes, thanks to the support of people attending the TechKnowledge 2019 conference hosted by the Association for Talent Development (ATD).
ATD, the world’s largest association dedicated to supporting the work of talent development professionals, convened more than 1,200 attendees at its TechKnowledge conference in West Palm Beach. Attendees were challenged to achieve 50,000 points in the Play@TK game held during the conference to support granting a wish for a critically ill child in the local area. The idea was inspired, in part, by keynote speaker Ben Nemtin, star of The Buried Life, who committed to helping complete strangers every time he accomplished something on his bucket list.
Nemtin was the one who revealed that TechKnowledge attendees succeeded in their quest and introduced the boy and his family to cheering conference attendees.
Tiago will have his wish granted the weekend of February 15, 2019. It includes:
- A VIP Package for the Bobsled & Skeleton World Cup and a bobsled passenger ride, compliments of the Olympic Regional Development Authority.
- U.S. Bobsled & Skeleton Federation athletes will join Tiago and his family at the World Cup Event on Saturday, February 16 and give them a tour of the Olympic Training Center (OTC) followed by lunch in the OTC Dining Hall.
- Gordy Sheer with USA Luge will provide a tour of the U.S. Luge Start House before the family departs Lake Placid.
“Every day, talent development professionals make a difference in the workplace by helping people gain new knowledge, skills, and abilities. We know that learning often comes through memorable experiences and we’re excited to have been able to make this wish happen for Tiago,” said Tony Bingham, President and CEO of ATD.
About Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida
Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida has a sole mission: Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Started in 1983 by the Plantation Junior Woman's Club, the Southern Florida chapter has grown from granting a wish every 180 days to granting a wish every 14 hours. In its 34-year history, the organization has granted more than 11,000 wishes. The vision is to grant the wish of every medically eligible child in our territory.
In the 2018 fiscal year, it expects to grant more than 600 wishes to local children with critical illnesses. Additionally, it anticipates granting another 175+ wishes, in collaboration with other chapters, when children come to their territory to experience their wishes. Make-A-Wish Southern Florida serves children and families in 22 Florida counties in Southeast and Southwest Florida, the Tampa Bay and Suncoast regions, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To learn more about how you can help make wishes come true, visit sfla.wish.org. You can also connect with @makeawishsfla on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
About ATD
The Association for Talent Development (ATD) is the world’s largest professional membership organization supporting those who develop the knowledge and skills of employees, improve performance, and help to achieve results for the organizations they serve. Originally established in 1943, the association was previously known as the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD).
ATD’s members come from more than 120 countries and work in public and private organizations in every industry sector. ATD supports talent development professionals who gather locally in volunteer-led U.S. chapters and international member networks, and with international strategic partners. For more information, visit www.td.org.