On Dec. 5, 2009 in Wichita, Kan., Koyie Hill catcher for the Chicgo Cubs hosted a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Kansas. More than 2,000 people attended the event which raised $149,322. The money will allow 25 wishes to be granted for the children with life-threatening illnesses in the state of Kansas. It's was his chance to give back.

"Growing up, I don't think there are many baseball players who didn't have somebody they looked up to," Hill said "I always thought it was a big treat when you finally got to meet that guy and he was everything you thought he was. I just think it's good when people are in a position to make a difference and they do it." 

"I don't know if 'obligation' is the right word to use, but I've always felt strong about giving back to this community in Wichita, They've been so gracious to me and my family during my playing career, both at Wichita State and in my professional career. It's nice to give back and help the people who helped you and supported you. They didn't think twice about coming out and being your fan."

"Everybody was great," he said. "That's baseball. It's just one big happy family."

Former Cubs pitcher Rick Sutcliffe served as emcee, and current Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster handled the live auction, often switching to his Harry Caray voice. Other Cubs players such as Mike Fontenot and Randy Wells attended the event also.

Three or four Make-A-Wish families took part, and some of the wish kids modeled the jerseys that were available in the live auction.

"The money raised will touch so many lives," Hill said. "It's amazing the joy it brings to them and how much relief. You can only imagine what the families are going through. They're hoping they can do something good to take their minds off the treatments or the hospitals or the whole routine that they have to deal with. It really does make a difference.

"It sounds kind of cheesy -- you hear people say, 'You can touch somebody's life.' That's really what you're doing. It means tons to the people who get to enjoy what you raised."

Jerry Brown knows that. He wrote a message on Hill's Web site, thanking the catcher for the event.

"As the parent of a 4-year-old who has leukemia and the soon to be recipient of a wish trip to Disney World," Brown wrote, "I wanted to let you know that the upcoming trip is all my son talks about and helps him to be strong in all of his trips to the doctors and to keep taking all of his medications. I just thought you might want to know from a parent that what you are doing really does make a difference."

There wasn't one meeting with a child or one hospital visit that motivated Hill to organize the event. His dream has been to play in the Major Leagues, and he nearly lost the chance after a freak accident in which he severed three fingers and the thumb of his right hand with a table saw. It could've ended his career. This season, Hill was the iron man catcher on the Cubs. He made 26 consecutive starts when Geovany Soto was injured.

"There are kids 2 1/2 years old to 18 years old and they have dreams," Hill said. "It's not just about learning to throw a baseball -- if that was the only problem they had, then life would be great. Some of these kids wake up and they're trying to make sure they breathe that day or make it through the week or that year.

"I'm not comparing by any means my accident, but you realize that some of these kids have no choice at all -- they just wake up with cancer or leukemia or they're just dealt a bad hand. Not one time do they complain. It's their life -- they live it, they love it. It's nice to be able to go to Disneyland or watch the Cubs play or meet somebody they look up to, and it helps them take their minds off what's going on."

Visit www.bigwishkansas.com for more information about this event.