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We are
always here to help with any questions you might have.
If you can’t find the answers below – just call us
on 6334 9474 and we would be happy to
assist you. |
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How many wishes are granted?
The
Foundation will strive to grant as many wishes as possible to
medically eligible children in Singapore. In 2007 we granted 95 wishes.
Globally, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted over 187,000 wishes to
date.
How old must a child be to have a
wish granted?
A child must be between the age of 3 and 18 at the time of the
referral.
Who are eligible?
Children who have been diagnosed by their physician as having a
life-threatening illness who are between 3 and 18 years of age are
eligible for a wish.
More detailed guidelines on eligibility are provided to medical
professionals upon request.
Make-A-Wish grants wishes regardless of race, religion, or
socioeconomic status. No eligible child has ever been denied a wish or
placed on a waiting list.
Are there any restrictions on
wishes?
Make-A-Wish tries to ensure that a wish is age appropriate and the
child's own heartfelt desire. We
discourage wishes that appear to be initiated by a need of the family
or a need of the medical treatment, rather than the spontaneous, joyful
impulse of the child. Serious safety concerns may also prevent us from
granting certain wishes.
Travel wishes are approved on a case-by-case basis, subject to a cost
analysis before being reviewed by the Wish Granting Committee.
Is the whole family included in a
wish?
Make-A-Wish Foundation is unique in that a child's immediate family
takes part in the wish. They have all shared in the grief of the
illness and should share in the joy and memories of the wish
experience. Travel wishes are subject to a cost analysis before being
reviewed by the Wish Granting Committee and this may result in numbers
of family members taking part in the wish being restricted.
Does the family's financial
status matter?
No, economic background does not affect whether a child is eligible for
a wish.
What if a family does not want
publicity?
We respect and protect a child's and family's right to privacy.
Publicity will never be allowed without permission, and a family may
decline publicity at any time.
Won't accepting a wish mean we've given up hope for our child's
recovery?
We have frequently been described in the media or by word of mouth as
granting wishes for children with "terminal" illnesses. It is much more
correct to say that we grant wishes to children with "life-threatening
illnesses." Many people believe (incorrectly) that we grant wishes only
to children who are dying, when in-fact, we see the process of making a
wish as life-affirming and full of hope. Families tell us that a wish
can encourage a child to fight for a future, often against tremendous
odds, when courage and hope are flagging. Our wish children who are now
adults would testify to this!
Will the privacy of our family
life be threatened by the media coverage?
Make-A-Wish always requests permission from a family before seeking any
publicity. A family has the right to deny publicity at any time. We
will protect your family and your child's right to privacy always.
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Are some families reluctant to
accept a wish because it feels like taking charity?
There are several reasons why a family might hesitate to call us. A
family might feel, for example, that they could grant a wish for their
child themselves. We have found, however, that a family simply does not
plan a fantasy vacation or event when challenged by a life-threatening
illness with its intense and disruptive treatment schedules and extreme
stresses. Parents cannot find the psychological resources to carry out
complex plans when day-to-day life requires so much from them.
A wish, moreover, often requires more than money for its
implementation. A desire to meet a personal hero, or design an
action figure for Mattel may be something that parents alone cannot
facilitate, but with our connections, we can often make ‘the
impossible’ become a reality.
Nor will a family spend money on a child's "wish" if that family is
raising money for a transplant or struggling with the crushing burden
of medical bills -- even if the parents have jobs and insurance. A
family need not be in poverty or on welfare to qualify for Make-A-Wish
services. It is the child’s medical condition that qualifies
the
child, and the child's need to experience renewed hope, strength, and
joy.
We seek to bring magic to a child's life at a time when the emotional
stress of a serious illness is taking its toll. Wishes are magical
things. When a child's wish is fulfilled, it says, "it's good to dream,
it's good to hope."
Finally, even though it may seem that the wish family is the recipient
of the gift of a wish, we find that volunteers, community members, and
corporate donors are often very touched by the "Power of a Wish". And
so a child, through his wish, often gives to others much more than he
receives himself.
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We can afford to pay for a wish
ourselves. If we accept this wish, will this be unfair to other, less
fortunate, families?
All medically qualified children are eligible for a wish, regardless of
family income. Even if a family can afford to fund the wish themselves,
we seek to bring elements of surprise, magic, and fun to the wish
experience that many families could not achieve because of the daily
stress and emotional trauma of having a seriously ill child.
How do you make a wish referral?
You may contact Ms Tho Pei Leng, Director of Program Services, at
+65-6334-WISH (9474) or via email at peileng@makeawish.org.sg
Healthcare providers may also contact Pei Leng for a copy of
our
medical guidelines to determine a child's eligibility.
Is a child who has already
received a
wish from another wish-granting organization eligible to receive a wish
from Make-A-Wish Foundation Singapore?
No, a child who has received a wish from another organisation is not
eligible for a wish from Make-A-Wish Foundation Singapore.
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