Frequently Asked Questions About Wishes
- Does the child have to have a terminal medical condition to receive a wish?
- Are wish children of a poor economic background?
- If the child is feeling well, can s/he receive a wish?
- Is there a waiting list?
- Is there a selection process that determines which children will have their wishes granted?
- At what point during the child's medical condition should we do a referral?
- Is the family's schedule taken into account when fulfilling wishes?
- Who can participate in the child's wish?
- What if the child becomes ill just before the wish?
- Will the family incur any expenses for a wish?
- Is any wish too big or too small?
- My question isn't listed here- who can I ask?
Does the child
have to have a terminal medical condition to receive a wish?
No. Many children with life-threatening medical conditions
who qualify for a wish go on to lead healthy and happy lives.
The child's treating physician makes the determination of
whether a child has a life-threatening medical condition.
Are wish children
of a poor economic background?
The Make-A-Wish Foundation® grants wishes to
all eligible children, regardless of economic status.
If the child is
feeling well, can s/he receive a wish?
Yes. In fact, it is always our preference that wish children
be feeling as well as possible for their wish, so they can
enjoy it to its fullest extent. We strive to grant the wishes
as quickly as possible to achieve this.
Is there a waiting
list?
We also strive to contact the wish family the same day their
child is referred to us and get a volunteer team assigned
to do the wish child's interview within a few days. We always
have children who are in the course of having their wish granted,
but each step is handled as quickly as possible. There is
no "average" time that a wish takes to grant, due
to many factors, such as the nature of a wish, the child's
health and family schedule.
Is there a
selection process that determines which children will have
their wishes granted?
All eligible children will have their wishes granted. Any
child between age 2 1/2 and 18 with a life-threatening medical
condition may be eligible for a wish. The child's treating
physician makes the final determination of whether the child
is medically eligible to receive a wish and whether the child
is able to participate in the wish. The child cannot have
received a prior wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation or any
other wish-granting organization.
At what point
during the child's medical condition should we do a referral?
We prefer that wish children be referred as soon as possible
after diagnosis. We happily coordinate the granting of the
wish to the child's medical regimen and other factors.
Is the family's
schedule taken into account when fulfilling wishes?
Absolutely.
Who can
participate in the child's wish?
The child's immediate family members (mother, father and siblings
under the age of 18 who live in the same house) are eligible
to be included in the wish. The wish offers an opportunity
for everyone in the household to take a much-needed escape
from their usual routine of doctors, hospitals, and treatments.
It gives the whole family the chance to be a family again,
and for the child, a chance to just be a kid again. Extended
family or friends may be able to participate in wishes at
their own expense.
What if the child
becomes ill just before the wish?
If medically necessary, wishes can either be postponed or
put on rush status. The wish can be changed to the child's
second choice if the doctor decides that the first choice
has become medically unsafe. Scheduled travel wishes cannot
be changed for any reason other than a medical emergency.
Will the family
incur any expenses for a wish?
All wish expenses are fully covered, including any travel
and an allotment for spending money. Our objective is to provide
the child and family with memories of joy that are not clouded
with the worries of wish expenses or arrangements. Any expenses
over the spending money allotment are not covered.
Is any wish too
big or too small?
Usually, the wish is limited only by the child's imagination.
However, when granting wishes, we do have standardized policies
and guidelines that are based on concerns such as safety and
feasibility. We also work with the child's physician to determine
if the wish can be fulfilled. The Make-A-Wish Foundation cannot
grant wishes for motorized vehicles, real estate, houses or
additions to personal property.
My question isn't
listed here- who can I ask?
Please contact Karla Wagner at kwagner@centralandsouthtexas.wish.org,
(512)329-9474 or (800)880-9474 toll-free for answers to any
questions you have about wishes.
[back]