What is Erik's Wish?

In 1991, Badiene's only child, Erik Emanuel Boelkow was diagnosed with Acute Mylogenous Leukemia. Erik's best chance for survival was a bone marrow transplant with marrow from a healthy donor. No donor was found and Erik died in 1993. He was only 13 years old.

As a tribute to his life, Badiene created a show called "Erik's Wish."

Erik's Wish debuted in May of 1998 to a standing-room-only crowd. The poignant, fun-filled evening weaves through the fabric of her life, culminating with her struggle with tragedy, and her subsequent triumph through spiritual renewal.

Erik's Wish was established to memorialize her son and to raise funds for the International Leukemia Organization, a nonprofit organization founded by Badiene and Erik to test potential marrow donors, and to fund adjunctive research projects.

Badiene produces the Erik's Wish Annual Benefit Concert in New Jersey, where Erik attended school. She is now developing the Erik's Wish Choir to perform with her in the show and at other charity events. Participants of this choir are chosen from her vocal studio.

Why Erik's Wish? When asked by the wish foundations for his wish, Erik said, "My wish is that all the rock stars come together and sing a song to make the world aware of the need for donors and to find a cure. "No kid should die waiting for a donor."

"No, thank you," Erik replied. "I've lived a good 12 years. I've traveled all over the world and have all the materialistic things I need. We have to help the little kids who have lived their whole lives in the hospital. They've never experienced life. We have to find them all donors, and we have to make sure that there's another cure besides this torture of chemo and radiation."

The wish foundations told him that this wish was impossible. So, Badiene set out to grant his wish.

Her friends, songwriters Denise Rich, David Bartkey and Michael O'Hara wrote a song for Erik called, "A Second Chance." Erik wanted the rock stars to perform this song, with the proceeds going to help those with leukemia. But before anything could be done with it, Erik relapsed. More treatments and prolonged hospital stays were necessary. The leukemia came back, and Erik died.

It's evident that this song, "A Second Chance," was born of a divine inspiration.

The Erik's Wish Choir has performed this song at each benefit concert and has been asked to perform it at numerous charity functions throughout the Greater Philadelphia/New Jersey area.

Erik's Wish was conceived to benefit not only the International Leukemia Organization, but is also available as a fundraiser to other charitable organizations as well. She plans for these concerts to ultimately tour the country.

For additional information, please check out the following published news articles (some may take awhile to download on slower modems):

"Music Now Serves a Deeper Purpose" by Art Carey
Philadelphia Inquirer June 22, 2000

Erik's Wish Benefit Concert
Camden County Woman May June 2000

"A Concert Fulfills a Wish"
The Trend July 24, 1998

"Mother Uses Son's Song to Fight Leukemia"
Courier Post March 26, 1998

"A Benefit Remembers Erik"
The Trend May 1 1998

"Concert Keeps Erik's Dream Alive"
Courier Post

The International Leukemia Organization Funds Joint Research Project
The Trend