Research shows, and doctors agree, that a wish can help improve a child’s quality of life and serve as a catalyst to better health. When a wish is granted, a child replaces fear with confidence, sadness with joy and anxiety with hope.
Indeed, a wish is much more than just the gift received one afternoon and a photo commemorating the occasion. It begins from the moment we learn about the wish kid and their greatest wish - what they truly want and why.
So how exactly does a wish come to life? The wish journey consists of 5 phases that ensure the foundation gives the children the life-changing experience they deserve.
Wish Capture
Make-A-Wish volunteers visit each child to capture their greatest wish, getting to the heart of what kids truly want and why. This profound insight is part of what makes Make-A-Wish unique, giving the team the opportunity to creatively shape the entire Wish Journey.
Wish Design
Back at Make-A-Wish HQ, we partner with families, volunteers, and medical teams to design the ultimate wish experience – and start rallying our partners and supporters to help make it happen.
Wish Anticipation
In the lead up to the wish, we take each child on a journey designed to build excitement and provide a welcome distraction from medical treatment. Anticipation can be incredibly powerful, helping to calm, distract and inspire sick kids at a time they need it most.
Wish Realization
When the moment finally arrives, children get to experience their greatest wish come true – it’s everything they’ve imagined and more!
Wish Effect
Wish impact studies show that a child’s wish lives on, long after the moment. A wish gives more than just hope – with an incredible and lasting effect on the lives of sick kids, their families and wider communities.