How Wishes Are Granted

A wish experience is frequently a source of inspiration for children undergoing difficult medical treatments and a positive force that helps them overcome their obstacles. Every fulfilled wish represents a unique collaboration between wish families, medical professionals, volunteers and donors. Wish granting truly is a magical, yet comprehensive and dynamic process.

The magic of wish granting usually begins with a referral call to the chapter office by a physician or social worker; however, the family or even the child may make the referral. A wish referral form is completed with relevant information about the child. After Make-A-Wish^® Arizona has been contacted, a medical authorization form is sent to the child’s primary physician. Upon medical approval, a team of volunteers then schedules an initial wish visit to discover the child’s one true wish. Then, chapter staff and volunteers work together to weave the magic that makes a child’s wish a reality.

There are four main steps to create the amazing wish experiences that delight our wish kids and their families:

Step 1: Referral
To protect the privacy of potential wish kids, we only accept referrals from medical professionals, parents/legal guardians and/or the child themselves. Children who have reached the age of 2½ and are under the age of 18 at the time of referral who have not received a wish from another Make-A-Wish® chapter or another wish-granting organization may be eligible for a wish.

Step 2: Medical Eligibility
After a child is referred to Make-A-Wish, the chapter will contact the child’s treating physician to determine whether the child is medically eligible for a wish, based on the medical criteria established by Make-A-Wish. To receive a wish, the child must be diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition – i.e., a progressive, degenerative or malignant condition that has placed the child’s life in jeopardy.

Step 3: Finding the Child’s Heartfelt Wish
We send one of our enthusiastic volunteer wish granting teams to meet the wish child. During their visit, the Wish Granters have one very important responsibility: to help a child identify their one heartfelt wish. They will also find out a second wish (just in case the first one is not approved by the doctor, or is one of the few wishes our chapter cannot endorse). Our office then contacts the child’s doctor to get approval that the wish is safe and appropriate for the child’s medical condition. Once we receive medical approval, our Wish Granters will contact the family again and begin the magical work of making a wish come true.

Step 4: Creating Joy
Our wish granters create an unforgettable experience driven by the child’s creativity. The Wish Granters stay in touch with the family throughout the wish granting process. Wish Granters collaborate with the Make-A-Wish staff and the entire community to dream up surprises, seek donations, organize wish itineraries, and set dates for the wish experience. It’s an incredible experience that enriches not just the lives of the children and their families, but often the lives of members of the entire community.

A wish experience is often more than a dream come true: It’s the catalyst that rekindles their belief in themselves and the promise of their future.  Most wish requests fall into four major categories:

I Wish to Go
Some wish kids want to travel to their favorite theme park, while others want to visit an exotic beach, go on a cruise, swim with dolphins, see snow for the first time, visit a family member in another state, or go attend a major sporting event or concert.

I Wish to Be
Children search the depths of their imagination when they wish to be someone for a day - a fireman, a police officer, a fashion model, a superhero, or their favorite celebrity or sports figure. There are no limits to their imagination!

I Wish to Meet
Many wish kids wish to meet their favorite athlete, recording artist, television personality, actor or actress, politician, chef, or public figure.

I Wish to Have
Wish kids often wish for a special gift, like a computer, a camera, a tree house, a therapeutic spa or a swimming pool, or something that they have coveted. Many also wish for shopping sprees for their favorite toys, clothing or electronics.

To refer a child today, Click Here: Refer a child