To quote the fantastic Monty Python, "Some things in life are bad, they can really make you mad. Other things just make you swear and curse. When you're chewing on life's gristle... don't grumble; give a whistle!" This verse perfectly encapsulates this story - in times of darkness and sadness, there's always hope; you've just got to stay strong.

In what can only be described as an uplifting and emotional gesture, Blizzard Entertainment (Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo) have donated $1.1 million to The Make-A-Wish Foundation. The donation was based on fifty percent of the money raised by World of Warcraft players who purchased the in-game pet, The Pandaren Monk, during the months of November-December 2009.

On Tuesday, February 16th, Blizzard invited fifteen wish children (who also happen to be gaming enthusiasts) and their families to their World of Warcraft development studio, giving them an inside look at the game is created.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation were overjoyed at the donation:

Thanks to Blizzard Entertainment and World of Warcraft players around the world, we will be able to grant the heartfelt wishes of even more courageous children with life-threatening medical conditions. This generosity is helping us bring hope, strength and joy to children when they — and their families — are facing an unimaginably difficult time in their young lives.

And understandably so. $1.1 million is an awful lot of money. Blizzard had this to say on their incredibly donation:

We've had a long relationship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and we're proud to support the priceless work they do for children. This donation also reflects the spirit and generosity of our players — their enthusiasm for World of Warcraft and for supporting a good cause made this possible.

There's only so much that I can be said about a story like this. Wow. Amazing. Fantastic. Inspiring. Uplifting.

The one thing to keep in mind is that the super-profitable entertainment company didn't simply donate cash over to the deserving charity but half of the money made off of the $10 downloadable content they kept, and this is isn't expensive content to make. While it's slightly concerning that the charitable promotion was used to sell more over-priced downloads and hence, increase Blizzard profit, if it helps get more funding to Make-A-Wish, that is a big win.

$1.1 million is an incredible amount of money, and has gone to a very worthwhile foundation. If you would like to donate to The Make-A-Wish foundation, please check out the official website and give as much as you can. Every little bit counts and you can all make a difference.

About the Make-A-Wish foundation:

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world. With the help of generous donors and more than 30,000 volunteers worldwide, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted more than 240,000 wishes worldwide since its inception.