Margit Andersen gained an insight into the safe and carefully planned environment offered by Ønskeland – and she greeted some of the families who are enjoying a recreational stay this week.

It was touching to hear a mother talk about her 12-year-old son, who suffers from a serious and life-threatening illness. Together with six other families, they enjoy a safe space where presence, peace, and care are at the center.

Ønskeland is housed in a former hotel, which Jan and Gitte Vestergaard bought ten years ago with the aim of creating a place for sick children and their families.

Every year, Ønskeland welcomes around 250 families, giving them the opportunity to take a breather from their difficult everyday lives. All stays are planned based on the individual needs of each family – whether that involves sound sensitivity, dietary considerations, or mobility.

Unfortunately, demand far exceeds capacity. From January to now alone, Ønskeland has received over 400 applications—the highest number ever.

"Ønskeland is a lifeline in a stormy sea," say director Camilla Bundgaard and project worker Freja Cortsen, who experience firsthand the helplessness many families feel—and their hope for a place at Ønskeland.

Around 40 volunteers are affiliated with the site and organize meaningful activities such as campfires, meditation, creative workshops, movie nights, farm visits, and walks with a local guide—not to mention a popular visit to a nearby alpaca farm.

The head of Ønskeland, Camilla Bundgaard Astorp, gave Margit Andersen an insight into the significance of the donation from the Sol og Strand Foundation Sol og Strand Margit and Kjeld. 

Margit Andersen was greatly impressed by the facilities that give stressed families the opportunity to share experiences and enjoy a much-needed break.

It is rewarding to see how the donation from the fund is helping to make a difference: I am full of admiration for how the few permanent employees – together with the many volunteers – manage to create such a fantastic environment for the families. The illness does not disappear, but here the families get a break – and a community with others in the same situation – a community that often extends far beyond their stay, says Margit Andersen.

Families from across the country with a seriously or chronically ill child aged 3-15 can apply for a stay at Ønskeland. The stay is free of charge for the families. Over the years, more than 1,000 families have visited Ønskeland. The place is financed exclusively by foundations and private donations.