Relieve traumatic stress
of parents say a wish relieved their family of traumatic stress.
90%
Improve emotional well-being
of medical providers say a wish improves a child’s – and their
own – emotional well-being.
99%
Create a turning point in treatment
of wish alum say their wish made them feel more joyful, confident and hopeful for the future.
90%
Give strength to
fight an illness
of parents say a wish served as a coping mechanism for
their child.
80%
Promote better
health outcomes
of medical providers say a wish can improve a child’s physical well-being & overall quality of life.
90%
A spark of hope can change everything.
Click the images below to discover your impact when you help grant wishes.
For more than 40 years, Make-A-Wish supporters, staff and volunteers have seen firsthand the impact of wishes on kids and families. New research lends quantitative data to the stories and feedback wish families have shared for decades.
The Wish Impact Study surveyed Make-A-Wish alumni and parents, in addition to medical professionals, and demonstrates how wishes contribute substantially to physical, mental and emotional health. A large majority of wish families and medical providers agree that a wish was a necessary part of the child's medical treatment journey, provided a support system, boosted resilience, and gave the child a better chance of recovering from their critical illness.
A wish has the power to help a child fighting a critical illness replace fear with confidence, sadness with joy and anxiety with hope.
Donate Now
A wish begins with hope.
Hope begins with you.
A spark of hope can
change everything
Click the images below to discover your impact when you help grant wishes.
A wish begins with hope.
Hope begins with you.
In the Words of a Wish Parent
“[Chairalis'] wish has helped her a lot. She’s more secure and able to smile and express herself. Plus, her inner beauty now shines through her new, beautiful smile. Words can’t describe what it’s like to see my daughter smile. It’s motivation to keep fighting alongside her day by day.”
– Carlos, wish dad | Chairalis, 18, genetic disorder, I wish to have a beautiful smile
Children with critical illnesses face extreme emotional challenges every day. Fighting their illness is not only physically exhausting - it's traumatic.
A wish can be that turning point in a child's fight. When you help grant a wish, you restore hope for a child, empower them to reclaim their childhood and experience transformative joy.
But a spark of hope can change everything.
Thousands of children are waiting for the hope of a wish, and you have
the power to create it.
Wishes Create a Turning
Point in a Child's Fight
New Wish Impact Study demonstrates the impact of wishes on mental and emotional well-being.