Board 7 Hears Make-A-Wish Manager

 

There were 55 wishes for a shopping spree, 204 wishes to go to Disney World, and one for a day at American Girl Place. In Queens alone, 98 wishes were granted last year.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. “Many people mistakenly believe we only serve children with terminal illnesses,” Leslie Dunbar, manager for community outreach of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York, said at the January meeting of Community Board 7. In fact, any child who has a progressive, degenerative or malignant medical condition that places his or her life in jeopardy could be eligible to have a wish granted.

Children who are at least two and a half years old, but have not yet reached their 18th birthday, may be referred to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The child’s treating physician determines if the child is medically eligible for a wish, based on medical criteria established by the foundation.

Illnesses that qualify a child as medically eligible include, but are not limited to, heart disease, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, HIV/AIDS or cancer. For information on how to refer a child to have a wish granted, call 212-505-WISH (9474).

With the medical procedures and pain that come with serious illnesses, Dunbar said, “the wish gives a child something to look forward to”.

Wishes generally fall into one of four categories, Dunbar said. “I wish to be....” “I wish to go...” “I wish to have...” and “I wish to meet...”, although there is no limit to a child’s imagination.
The most popular wish, “I wish to go...”, makes up 40 percent of wish requests, Dunbar said. These wishes include visits to family inside or outside of the United States, as long as travel is permitted by the State Department.

Wishes “to be...” include model shoots conducted by the producer of “America’s Next Top Model”, Dunbar said, while wishes “to have...” include mainly electronics like computers, iPods and flat-screen TVs. “No cars,” she said.

Wishes “to meet...” mainly include popular celebrities and sports figures, although President-elect Barack Obama has granted three wishes to meet him, said Dunbar.
Make-A-Wish grants one wish to each eligible child with some wishes having restrictions based on the child’s medical condition. Wish expenses are fully covered by the Foundation with no out-of-pocket expenses for the wish family. If a child qualifies for a wish, there are no other qualifications based on sex, race, religion, socioeconomic status or any other demographic category.

The average cost of a wish is $7,500 and Make-A-Wish receives financial support from individuals, corporations, and private grants.
“We are a volunteer organization, and we need volunteers in Queens,” said Dunbar.

Wish-granting volunteers work with each child to determine his or her wish and complete the granting of the wish. “It’s a wonderfully rewarding experience,” she said.

Dunbar said there are many other ways to volunteer as well. Call Maria Casey, Director, Volunteer Resources, at 516-944-6212, ext. 105, or e-mail mcasey@metrony.wish.org for more information.