To fully understand why a wish experience is so impactful, it’s important to understand exactly what wish kids are going through. That’s why we’re sharing what the difficult daily realities of fighting a critical illness look like for a little girl who is growing up with cancer:

The most grueling part of her medical journey is weekly chemotherapy. The treatments themselves can make her feel nauseous and weak, and losing her hair has caused her to lose confidence and feel depressed.

As difficult as the routine aspects of her treatment are, she and her family also face the constant fear of complications. Since her diagnosis, she’s had to endure fevers, emergency room visits and long stays in the ICU.

Her critical illness isn’t just physically harsh and painful – it’s often traumatic and takes a severe emotional toll. Because of her treatments and weakened immune system, she has to miss out on key pieces of her childhood – like simply being able to go to school, see her friends and even spend quality time with her family. This has led to some dark, lonely days when all she wants is her regular life back.

This is just one journey out of thousands of kids going through similar heartbreaking challenges day in and day out. But a wish provides these kids with a day like no other during their battle with a critical illness. A wish provides the strength to keep persevering through tough treatments, the hope of brighter days ahead and the joy of childhood that their critical illness has taken from them.

That’s why the overwhelming majority of Make-A-Wish^® alumni, parents and medical providers agree that wish experiences are a necessary part of a child’s medical journey – massively improving not only a child’s emotional well-being but also their health outcomes and their odds of overcoming their critical illness altogether.

Here’s the thing, though: For every wish we’re able to grant, another two kids are waiting – and we rely entirely on the generosity of caring supporters like you to make sure they don’t have to wait one unnecessary day for the life-changing impact of a wish.

That’s why we’re turning to you to ask: Will you please make a gift for kids in need of a wish today? Your generosity has the power to create a turning point for a child growing up with a critical illness.

Thank you so much for helping us change lives through the power of a wish.

Make-A-Wish