Frequently Asked Questions

What does Make-A-Wish^® Australia do?
The key mission of Make-A-Wish^® is grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

How many wishes do you grant?
Since Make-A-Wish began in Australia, it has granted over 7,000 wishes. Worldwide, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 270,000 wishes.

What types of illnesses do wish children suffer from?
All wish recipients have a life-threatening medical condition. This covers a range of illnesses; approximately 60% of children who are granted wishes have some form of cancer.

How is a child eligible for a wish?
To qualify for a wish the child must have, in the opinion of their medical specialist, a life-threatening medical condition. The child must also be between the age of three and 18 years of age at the time of application.

What are the most common wishes?
The most common wishes are computers, cubby houses and trips to places like the Gold Coast.

Are there any wishes you don’t grant?
Make-A-Wish Australia will not grant wishes to have in-ground pools or spas. We do not grant home renovations wishes. For further restrictions please contact National Office. An information pack highlighting restrictions is sent to all eligible children.

What happens if a wish cannot be granted to an eligible child?
We seek two wish choices from the wish child so a cherished wish can be granted.

My child’s medical eligibility has been confirmed. What happens now?
Details of the wish process are found in the Information Pack sent to all eligible children.

How long does it take to grant a wish?
The wish-granting process can vary in length depending on the wish choice. The length of time is dependent on a variety of factors, eg if a child wishes to meet a particular celebrity, the meeting will be dependent on the celebrity’s schedule and can take some time to arrange.

I’ve agreed to publicity of my child’s wish. What happens now?
Publicity of wishes assists us in spreading the message of what we do and encouraging more wish applications. Publicity includes stories and photos appearing in our quarterly newsletter Wishing Well, on our website, in a magazine or newspaper, or in the promotional materials of our corporate partners. It might also mean appearing on television – an experience in itself! Even if you agree to publicity, you can always change your mind at any time by notifying National Office.