The mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation® is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. Children between the ages of 3 and 18 must be referred to the Foundation and determined to be medically eligible for a wish by their physician. The child's treating physician makes the final determination of whether a child's medical condition qualifies him or her for a wish.
No. Many of the children who qualify for a wish go on to lead healthy and happy lives.
Make-A-Wish® follows specific policies and guidelines for granting a child's wish. The physician also plays a major role in determining whether the child's condition will permit a particular wish to be coordinated safely. Foundation staff will work closely with the wish child's physician to determine the most appropriate time to grant the wish, keeping in mind the child's treatment protocol or other concerns.
No. All wish expenses are fully covered, including all travel and spending money when appropriate. The Make-A-Wish Foundation's objective is to create a memorable wish experience for both the child and family that is not clouded by financial concerns.
The cost associated with coordinating a wish varies depending on the type of wish. Because each wish is so unique, there is no particular average cost of a wish.
No. Family income is not a consideration in determining whether a child is eligible to receive a wish.
Most wish requests fall into four major categories:
Some Make-A-Wish kids want to travel to their favourite theme park, while others want to visit an exotic beach, go on a cruise, see snow for the first time, or attend a major sporting event or concert.
Children search the depths of their imagination when they wish to be someone for a day - a fireman, a police officer, or a model, for instance.
Many want to meet their favourite athlete, recording artist, television personality, movie star, politician, or public figure.
Children often wish for a special gift, like a computer, a tree house, a shopping spree, or something that they have coveted for a long time.
No. The Make-A-Wish Foundation only grants wishes to children who have been referred to the organization and determined to be eligible for a wish before their 18th birthday by their physician.
No, however, in some circumstances wish children may have to wait for their wish due to external circumstances such as the child's treatment schedule, the availability of a popular celebrity, or sufficient financial resources. If the fulfillment of a wish must be delayed for any reason, the wish child and family are fully informed and the wish child is given the option to make another wish request or wait.
Make-A-Wish Foundation receives financial support from a number of sources. Contributions are from individuals, corporate donors, and community special events. The Foundation relies on in-kind contributions as well which help to lessen the cost of goods and services.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation does not, under any circumstances, engage telemarketers to raise money. The Make-A-Wish Foundation has a strict policy against telephone and door-to-door solicitation. Make-A-Wish Foundation has no affiliation with any other wish-granting organization.
Yes. 98.5% of all funds raised in the United Arab Emirates remain in the country to fund national operations. 1.5% of annual revenue is paid to MAWF International as a licensing and support fee.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation has a mandate that 80% of annual revenue be dedicated to wish fulfillment: the direct costs associated with granting the wishes. The balance is used for Operating and Marketing expenses.