Cody Hendrickson of the Seattle area was 10 years old when he became part of the “Miles For Kids In Need” program last summer. Thanks to the program, the Hendrickson family was able to fly to St. Louis so Cody could undergo surgery, which was needed to correct a medical problem that threatened to obstruct his airway.

Hendrickson benefited from the Miles For Kids In Need program and others will in the future because Chicagoans voted in the “You, Your Friends and a Plane” sweepstakes held last fall. The sweepstakes attracted nearly 75,000 entries from the Chicago area and added 1 million AAdvantage miles to the coffers of the program. For each online entry, 25 AAdvantage miles (up to 1 million miles) were donated to the program that was established in 1989 as a unique way for American Airlines and AAdvantage members to help thousands of seriously ill children. The Miles For Kids program assists as many as 100 children each month with transportation to obtain medical treatment that is not available where they live.

“The Miles For Kids In Need program is wonderful,” said Cheryl Hendrickson, Cody’s mother. “I want to thank American Airlines for giving this opportunity to our son so he can have the best care in the world. Your program has given Cody a smile he never had before.”

As the grand-prize winner of the “You, Your Friends and A Plane” sweepstakes, Bill Sage of Naperville, Ill., won the right to invite up to 99 of his friends to travel from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to one of four destinations — New York, Miami, Los Angeles or Las Vegas — and to have the use of an entire American Airlines plane.