Information about eligible children for the Make-A-Wish program

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. However, the foundation only accepts applications for eligible children. Find out if your child meets the eligibility requirements for the program. Even if your child does not meet the criteria, you can still apply on his or her behalf. With your support and documentation, you might be able to help a child who doesn’t meet the criteria become eligible. Ask yourself these questions to determine if your child is eligible to become a Make-A-Wish kid: 

● Is your child 19 years old or younger? 

● Does your child have a life-threatening medical condition? 

● Is there no other known cure for this medical condition?  

● Is this disease terminal and progressive?

More information about eligible children for the Make-A-Wish program can be found in this article. 

First step

The first step is to find out which children are eligible for Make-A-Wish. The Make-A-Wish Foundation website has information about the programme. Children who have a life-threatening illness can apply for the programme, with some exceptions (Make-A-Wish Foundation, 2013). In order to be considered, a child’s doctor must verify the condition and prognosis. A lot of families start the application procedure as soon as they learn their child has a terminal illness.

Find a counselling service for children who have lost a parent

If a child has lost a parent, there are many free counselling services available. You can find a list of local services online at CounselingResources.org. Many of these services are free or low cost and are often covered by insurance.

Many organisations that provide support to children with terminal illnesses focus on a single illness, such as cancer or leukaemia. You may have to do a bit of research if you want to find a cancer support group for children. You may also look for a support group via a search engine like Google or the American Childhood Cancer Organization.

You may wish to investigate other charities that may assist children with terminal diseases if you learn that Make-A-Wish cannot help. The Ronald McDonald House and the Children’s Bereavement Network are just two examples of organisations that offer free temporary housing to the families of children undergoing medical treatment. The Children’s Cancer Connection offers emotional assistance to those children whose parents have cancer as well as those who have terminal illnesses. You can find support groups in your area through the National Network of Hospital Child Bereavement Programs website. Do you wish to help critically ill children? You can do so at the Make-A-Wish-Foundation.