Amy Bruce, a sick little girl, will get help from forwarded emails-Fiction!

Forward Emails to Help Provide Financial Support for Cancer Victim Amy Bruce-Fiction!

Summary of eRumor
An email is received alleged to be from a seven year old girl who has lung cancer from second hand smoke and a large brain tumor from beatings. The email says she will die without help but that her family can't pay. Recipients of the message are asked to forward it to others and that the Make-A-Wish Foundation has agreed to donate 7 cents for each name on the list for Amy's medical treatment.

The Truth
This is a hoax that has caused no end of wasted time and energy for the folks at the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

No evidence has been found of a child named Amy Bruce with cancer.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation says it does not participate in these kinds of fund appeals.

They primarily try to grant a special wish to a child with a life-threatening illness.

Not only is the Amy Bruce eRumor one of the most widely circulated, but has spawned several other rumors using the same text, but changing the names.

Last updated 6/20/01

For more information:

Make-A-Wish Foundation

A real example of the story as it has been circulated:

Subj: Fwd: cancer (dont delete..please)

Hi, my name is Amy Bruce.I am 7 years old, and I have severe lung
cancer from second hand smoke. I also have a large tumor in my brain,
from repeated beatings. The doctors say I will die soon if this isn't
fixed,
and
my family can't pay the bills. The Make A Wish Foundation, has agreed to
donate 7 cents for every name on this list. For those of you who send
this along, I thank you so much, but for those who don't send it, what
goes
around
comes around. Have a Heart, please send this to everyone on your buddy list.
~thanxs~

Please, if you are a kind person, send this on. @---->------