Between us, we call him the dream merchant. Alain, the president of the Aladdin association, of which the French Throwdown is a proud partner, took the time to come and present the association to us, its objective and why it is vital.
Where it all began
Aladin is an association that has existed for more than 30 years and whose aim is to make the dreams of sick children come true. It was created in the pediatric department of the Bordeaux hospital in 1991. It all began when a nursery nurse asked Jean-Marc, a seriously ill 11-year-old who had withdrawn into himself, if he had a dream. He replied “to go back to Pointe-à-Pitre to see mum and dad and spend Christmas with them”. The entire nursing staff decides to contribute to allow him to go to Guadeloupe for 8 days so that he can be reunited with his family. Jean-Marc returned transformed by this trip and finally accepted the care that he needed.
The importance of volunteers
Since that day, the Aladdin association has continued to make dreams come true for sick children at an average cost of 1,200€. It is sometimes a real logistical challenge to organise the children’s travel, which is sometimes complicated by the dates of their treatment, their physical condition and the doctor’s obligatory agreement.
However, this does not discourage the 33 volunteers who were able to help make 52 dreams come true in 2022. Thanks to the association, the children were able to meet Cinderella, Buzz Lightyear and Mickey Mouse at Disneyland Paris, go for a walk in Beauval Zoo, chat with their idol or take a ride in a sled dog.
Donations for the French Throwdown 2022
On average, the price of a dream is €1,200. During the 2022 edition of the French Throwdown, we were able to donate €12,000 to the Aladin association, thus helping to make the dreams of a dozen children come true, as well as financing a life-enhancing service within the hospital itself, thanks to the wellness treatments provided by outside professionals.
And if you too could help, thanks to your registration, to allow sick children to meet Omar Sy, or their favourite soccer team?
