Referring FAQs
How do I make a wish referral?
Simply call our office at (214) 496-9474.
Who can make a wish referral?
Approximately half of all wish referrals are initiated by healthcare professionals and half are started by friends, relatives, and other wish families, or by the children themselves. Requests can be made by anyone. However, if the initial call comes from someone other than the parents or guardians, we ask that the parents or guardians be encouraged to call directly on behalf of their own child. In all cases, the child's own physician is contacted to affirm the medical appropriateness of the referral.
What children are eligible?
Children who have been diagnosed by their physician as having a medical condition that is life-threatening, and who are between 21⁄2 and 18 years of age, are eligible for a wish. More detailed guidelines on eligibility are provided to medical professionals on request. Make-A-Wish grants wishes regardless of race, religion or socioeconomic status. No eligible child has ever been denied a wish or placed on a waiting list.
Is a child who has already received a wish from another wish-granting organization eligible to receive a wish from Make-A-Wish?
No, a child who has received a wish from another organization is not eligible for a wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Does the family's financial status matter?
No, economic background does not affect whether a child is eligible for a wish.
Won't accepting a wish mean we've given up hope for our child's recovery?
We have frequently been described in the media or by word of mouth as granting wishes for children with "terminal" illnesses. It is much more correct to say that we grant wishes to children with "life-threatening medical conditions." Many people incorrectly believe that we grant wishes only to children who are dying, when in fact, we see the process of making a wish as life-affirming and full of hope. Families tell us that a wish can encourage a child to fight for a future, often against tremendous odds, when courage and hope are fleeting. Our wish children who are now adults would attest to this!
Are some families reluctant to accept a wish because it feels like taking charity?
There are several reasons why a family might hesitate to call us. A family might feel, for example, that they could grant a wish for their child themselves. We have found, however, that parents cannot find the psychological and financial resources to carry out complex plans when day-to-day life requires so much from them.
In addition, a wish often requires more than money for its implementation. A desire to meet a personal hero, or attend the Super Bowl, or be a model for Seventeen Magazine may be something that parents alone cannot facilitate.
We can afford to pay for a wish ourselves. If we accept this wish, will this be unfair to other, less fortunate, families?
All medically-qualified children are eligible for a wish, regardless of family income. Even if a family can afford to fund the wish themselves, we seek to bring elements of surprise, magic and fun to the wish experience that many families could not achieve because of the daily stresses and emotional trauma of having a seriously-ill child. We have never had to turn a wish down because of a lack of funds, and take pride in fulfilling a wish for every North Texas child, regardless of race, creed or economic status.
