MILWAUKEE — Lulu Altman has been struggling with the autoimmune disease, Lupus, since she was 9 years old.
But she said without fail, there’s one thing that makes her feel better.
“When I’m singing and performing, I don’t have pain, I don’t have headaches, I don’t have anxiety,” said Altman, now 18 years old. “Anything that I usually feel that is uncomfortable, or painful, or unpleasant is gone.”
Altman takes voice lessons from the Milwaukee Conservatory of Music. When she was granted a wish from Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, it was only natural it would have to do with music.
Altman got the chance to sing four songs on Saturday with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) at the Bradley Symphony Center in Milwaukee. It was the organization’s 8,000th wish.
Forrest Doolen is the senior director of marketing and communication at Make-A-Wish Wisconsin.
Doolen said he’s excited the organization could celebrate the monumental wish in the same year it’s celebrating its 40th year in business.
“Make-A-Wish Wisconsin covers the entire state of Wisconsin. We grant many wishes in the Milwaukee area, but we grant them all over the state,” Doolen said. “This year alone, we are budgeted to grant 405 wishes, which is more wishes than we have ever granted before.”
Doolan said the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s work is important for kids facing major challenges because it gives young people hope and empowerment.
A full house at the Symphony Center listened in awe as Altman’s voice filled the theater. It’s a memory Altman said she’ll take with her on her journey in music and life.
“My dream for my future in music is to continue doing stuff like this, big performances,” she said. “I hope to be on Broadway one day, whether as an actress or a singer.”
Altman will start music classes in music theory next year at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
