MakeAWish Foundation

Make-A-Wish Foundation is a non-profit organization in the United States. It provides grants for children who are suffering from a life threatening disease. This organization grants wishes to children that belong to the age group of 2.5 years to 18 years. The idea is to allow an enriching human experience to these children and bring hope and joy.

The organization was founded in Arizona in 1980. It began after granting a wish to a boy who wanted to become a police officer. A group of caring volunteers made this wish come true but soon after the child died. Post this simple start, the volunteers realized that this was a cause that many people were willing to work for and hence led to the organization spreading across many countries. The organization was officially formed in 1993 and at this stage it was catering to five countries apart from the United States.

There are now various affiliates of the organization (36 on last count) and Make-A-Wish Foundation operates in more than 47 countries. It has about 64 chapters in the United States alone.

The process that involves granting a wish has 4 basic steps. Each of these steps builds on the first one in order to bring joy and happiness to children who otherwise have a bleak future. The first step is the referral step where the foundation relies on parents, medical professionals and the children. The second step is to ensure medical eligibility. The child should have a life threatening illness that is degenerative, progressive or malignant in nature.

Finding the true wish of the child is the next step. This is a process that requires the involvement of some volunteers so that they can explore the child's imagination and arrive at the true wish that the child has. This step is important so that they can actually grant a wish that will bring true joy and happiness to the child. The fourth step involves actually making the wish come true and creating a memorable experience for the child.

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