A Fierce Advocate for Wishes

Dr. Stacey Peterson-Carmichael, pediatric pulmonologist at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, supports her patients and their families not just through direct care, but through connecting them to life-changing wishes. 

Joyful Memories 

Dr. Stacey Peterson-Carmichael’s Make-A-Wish connection began long before she became a chapter medical advisor or referred her first patient for a wish. Instead, Dr. Peterson-Carmichael’s Make-A-Wish story began over twenty years ago as a volunteer wish granter. 

“That was incredibly fun,” she recalls. As a wish granter, Dr. Peterson-Carmichael helped wish kids determine their one true wish. She fondly remembers getting to tell kids, “your wish is being granted!”

There’s no feeling quite like seeing the joy on a child’s face when they learn their wish is becoming real. Years later, those memories propel her as she advocates for her patients and wish kids across Central and Western North Carolina.  

Journeying Alongside Patients 

As a pediatric pulmonologist, Dr. Peterson-Carmichael cares for children affected by complex conditions that impact multiple organ systems, including the lungs. Her patients’ conditions range from cystic fibrosis to neuromuscular disorders. A fierce and steady advocate for her patients, she says that “on top of patient care, my joy is in creating programs to make it easy for families to get all their care in one place.”  

In inpatient and outpatient settings, Dr. Peterson-Carmichael gets to know patients and families on a deep level and sees the burdens they carry. “It’s really a challenge for them to get away because of their medical complexity, medications, care regimen, and equipment,” she says. “Wishes are so critically important to have some experiences that aren’t medicalized, where they’re getting to experience something that’s unique and important to them.” When so much of their lives are controlled by medical needs, wishes are powerful chances for families to rest, have fun, and be together in a new way.  

A Wish for Every Eligible Child 

Now, in addition to working with her team to make sure eligible patients are referred to Make-A-Wish, Dr. Peterson-Carmichael serves on Make-A-Wish CWNC’s medical advisory council, where she and a team of doctors share their expertise to ensure wishes are safe and appropriate.

When board member Dr. Alisa Starbuck, president of Brenner Children’s Hospital, recommended Dr. Peterson-Carmichael join the team, “I knew since it was Make-A-Wish that I wanted to be involved,” she says. Patient advocacy has many meanings for Dr. Peterson-Carmichael. It means creating strong relationships with families and collaborating to meet their needs; submitting a wish referral to boost emotional health for years to come; and reviewing wish plans for kids with complex conditions.

As a medical advisor and true patient advocate, Dr. Peterson-Carmichael ensures that, no matter their condition, every eligible kid receives quality care and a wish that will bring lasting hope, strength, and joy.