About Me: 
My name is Dr. Dean Cohen and I have been a Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island volunteer for almost 2 years. A retired dentist and resident of Brookline, MA, I have been living in Eastern Massachusetts now for almost 30 years after living in Los Angeles for eight years. I have been married to my wonderful “better half” wife Leslie for 24 years and have two wonderful sons: Shep, who just turned 18, and Gabe, who is almost 17.  While living in Southern California, I served in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps in Long Beach for three years.  After returning to Massachusetts in 1994, I was in Private Practice for about 25 years and also became a clinical dental professor at my former alma mater where I had graduated in 1985, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston. I am a former table tennis champion and marathon runner, and I go to the gym every day to stay active. I love to play board games, golf, read, and, while growing up in Western Massachusetts, I caught the Boston Sports fanatic bug!

In addition to being a Make-A-Wish volunteer, I have also been actively involved in the Big Brother/Big Sister organizations of both Los Angeles and Boston. While in Los Angeles, I was a Big Brother to two teenage boys for eight years.  Presently, I am a Big Brother to a gentleman with Asperger’s syndrome with whom I’ve been partnered for almost 30 years. I have really enjoyed being an active volunteer in both of these two outstanding organizations because they are truly devoted to helping kids (and adults) of all ages! 

In what ways do you volunteer at Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island? 
I’m a wish granter, I volunteer for special events, and I am a donor.  

Why Make-A-Wish?
I believe in paying it forward. I retired two years ago and became a Make-A-Wish volunteer very soon after. I believe parenting and family are so important, so I like that Make-A-Wish enables me to take on assignments and be busy when I want, but also take a break for family time. Make-A-Wish is a great way to connect with people and I feel this work in my heart. I love being a messenger of joy. 

What is your favorite Make-A-Wish memory? 
I have two favorite moments from the same wish. When we went to deliver gifts for a wish child who wished to meet his favorite Bruins player—I remember his and his siblings’ eager faces waiting in the windows. I felt like Santa Claus. Then we presented him with a big Bruins medallion necklace and I will never forget the smile on his face.  

What keeps you volunteering?
The people that I am surrounded with. The gratitude is overwhelming. I love seeing the joy on not only the kids’ faces, but the whole family’s joy, too. They appreciate that we involve siblings and the entire family. They all face the emotional toll of the illness, so it is nice that they are all involved with the joyfulness that comes with receiving a wish.

What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a Make-A-Wish volunteer?
The families appreciate the volunteers, the staff appreciate the volunteers; I find it very rewarding. It’s nice being part of something so engaging and uplifting, and an organization that is so highly respected.