Wishing FAQs
What is a wish?
A "wish" is a child's personal, heartfelt answer to the question: "If you could go anywhere, meet anyone, have or be or experience anything, what would you choose?
How many wishes are granted?
Each year, the North Texas chapter grants more than 300 wishes. We also host additional wishes for children from other states visiting Texas for a special wish experience. Nationally, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted more than 140,000 wishes and currently grants more than 12,000 wishes a year.
How old must a child be to have a wish granted?
A child must be between the ages of 21⁄2 and 18 at the time of the referral.
What children are eligible?
Children who have been diagnosed by their physician as having an illness 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.
Are there any restrictions on wishes?
The Make-A-Wish Foundation tries to insure that a wish is age appropriate and the child's own heartfelt desire, expressed in his or her own words. We discourage wishes that appear to be initiated by a need of the family or a need of medical treatment, rather than the spontaneous, joyful impulse of the child. Serious safety concerns may also prevent us from granting certain wishes.
Is the whole family included in a wish?
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is unique in that a child's immediate family takes part in the wish. They have all shared in the grief of the illness and should share in the joy and memories of the wish experience.
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.
What if a family does not want publicity?
We respect and protect a child's and family's right to privacy. Publicity will never be sought without permission, and a family may decline publicity at any time.
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.
