By: Kevin Samuels
The Make-A-Wish Foundation has long been granting wishes to children battling chronic illnesses. Since its inception in 1980, the organization has granted over 520,000 wishes worldwide. According to the National Library of Medicine, children who had their wishes granted tended to experience a significant decrease in depressive symptoms and anxiety, along with improved quality of life. These positive outcomes often extend to the families of the children being granted wishes, too.
While granting wishes frequently focuses on trips, experiences, or meeting inspirational figures, integrating education into the mission adds a lasting dimension to the support these children receive. Dr. Michael Everest, a prominent advocate for medical education and healthcare innovation, is working to bring an educational aspect to some wishes made by Make-A-Wish.
In January 2025, through his work with the Everest Family Foundation and Residents Medical, Dr. Everest launched a partnership to grant wishes focused on educational empowerment. This collaboration reflects his long-standing dedication to creating opportunities for underserved children, equipping them with tools and resources that could open doors to brighter futures.
Residents Medical aims to raise $5,000 to assist in fulfilling the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses, and they will donate $250 for each contract signed during the fundraising campaign. This partnership is part of Residents Medical’s overarching goal to support worthwhile charities and give back to the community. All proceeds from this campaign will go directly to Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles in accordance with Make-A-Wish’s policies, ensuring that these initiatives provide children and their families with happiness and hope. Residents Medical and Make-A-Wish aim to work together to positively impact the lives of those most in need.
The partnership builds on Dr. Everest’s work with edYOU, an educational platform integrating cutting-edge artificial intelligence to deliver personalized, accessible learning experiences. Founded in October 2021, edYOU is built around proprietary AI-driven avatars—Eddie, Hannah, and Nova—designed to engage users in real-time, interactive dialogues.
“Our goal is to use this technology to make a positive impact on humanity. Just envision having a teacher’s assistant and study buddy combined into one,” says Dr. Everest. “This approach not only benefits typical students but also provides support for individuals with special needs, social anxiety, dyslexia, and others who struggle with reading aloud in a classroom setting.”
edYOU’s platform offers a range of subscription tiers—Silver, Gold, and Platinum—each tailored to varying levels of access and features, such as gamified learning modules, wellness companions, and certificates of completion. In 2023, edYOU partnered with Sierra Canyon School to introduce Nova, a 24/7 virtual tutor, and teacher’s assistant, to K-12 students. Initial results suggested promising outcomes, including a 12 percent average improvement in test scores and increased student engagement.
Dr. Everest has emphasized the importance of “safe, ethical, and explainable AI” as a cornerstone of edYOU’s mission. This focus seeks to ensure a secure educational experience where learners can trust the content and methodologies employed. By integrating AI into learning platforms, edYOU aims to address critical gaps in accessibility and adaptability, especially for children who may face disruptions in their education due to health challenges.
“My passion lies in helping humanity, providing a voice to the marginalized and disadvantaged,” explains Dr. Everest. “By doing so, we have produced some of the premier doctors, breaking barriers and creating opportunities for those who otherwise might not have had a chance.”
The partnership between Dr. Michael Everest and the Make-A-Wish Foundation exemplifies the potential of collaborations that can make a difference in many lives. By combining the foundation’s expertise in granting wishes with Dr. Everest’s dedication to education and healthcare, this initiative aims to provide children with opportunities that extend far beyond the moment of wish fulfillment.
Published by Drake M.
