Apply for a wish
Do you know a critically ill child or teen who could benefit from a life-changing wish?
We welcome applications from all eligible children, their families and medical teams.
You don't need to know your wish to apply.
Select an option
Start an application
Select the option below that best describes your relationship to the child you're applying for.
Parents / legal guardians.
I'm a parent or legal guardian and would like to apply for my child to receive a wish.
Child
I'm a child and I'd like to refer myself to receive a wish.
Friend or family member
I'm a relative or friend of the family and I'd like to refer a child to receive a wish.
Health or social care professional
I'm a health or social care professional looking to refer a child in my care for a wish.
How it works
At the top of this page, select the option that best represents your relationship to the child you're referring. Complete the form that opens. It should take no longer than 5-10 minutes.
As part of our commitment to Child Safety, we require a parent or legal guardian’s signature at this point. This step only applies if someone started the application on behalf of the child's parent or guardian and is required before we can get in touch with your medical specialist.
Once we have parental consent, we’ll contact the child’s treating medical specialist to assess medical eligibility and approve the application. Please see eligibility criteria for more info.
Once the application is approved, we’ll work closely with your local Make-A-Wish volunteers, your family, and the broader #WishForce community to capture and bring an incredible Wish Journey to life – with every wish as unique as the child who imagined it!
Click here to find out more about the types of wishes that are happening right now for inspiration as you create your own unique Wish Journey.
We're here to help
If you have any questions about the application process, please call the Wish team on 1800 032 260 or email wishes@makeawish.org.au
Wish FAQs
After you apply for a wish, our team will carefully check that the application meets the eligibility criteria. This involves contacting your medical team and other relevant partner organisations. If you haven’t heard from us for 10 business days, please get in touch for an update. You can call 1800 032 260 or email enquiries@makeawish.org.au
Just as every wish is unique, so is the length of time for a Wish Journey. Each wish is carefully considered and designed to meet the needs of the child and their family.
Depending on their medical journey, educational commitments, personal situation, and wish choice, a Wish Journey could happen within a week in some urgent situations, or we could support kids for a period of 18 months to 2 years.
It really depends on the child’s unique circumstances. Importantly we don’t want the child to let the Wish Journey length determine what their one true wish is. If it is their one true wish, it will be worth the wait!
We work in partnership with sick children, their families, and medical teams to design and deliver wish experiences that are as unique as the children who imagine them.
No two wishes are alike, from the simple to the seemingly impossible – we’ve made unicorns fly, turned video games into reality, and helped kids to feel as brave and strong as the superheroes they look up to. For more examples of the types of wishes we grant, explore our wish stories.
Our wish welcome team will call and email you as soon as we receive confirmation that your application meets our eligibility criteria. From there, we’ll arrange a time to welcome you into the Make-A-Wish family and get your Wish Journey started!
Our wishes are designed to complement medical treatment, so we recommend that you apply for a wish as soon as you can! You don't need to know what your wish is, or be ready for it to come true.
Once you're on a Wish Journey, we can start providing support, distraction, and fun activities while you discover what your wish will be and then start looking forward to it coming true. You can always put a wish on hold if the timing isn't right, and you'll have a say in when the wish comes true.
So there's really no reason not to get started on your Wish Journey today!
Who is eligible for a wish?
Make-A-Wish supports children and teens with critical illnesses. To be eligible, a child should be:
- aged 3 - 18 years
- living in Australia
- experiencing a life-threatening illness or medical condition
Please note, our wishes are not just for children with terminal illnesses – many wish children go on to beat their illnesses and live healthy lives.
See further eligibility criteria information below.
Age criteria
- Make-A-Wish Australia grants wishes to Australian children and teens aged between 3 and 18 years old.
- We accept all applications completed from the child's third birthday, until the day of their 18th birthday - although actual wish experiences may still take place after this time.
- Younger children are eligible to receive a wish hamper, which is a selection of age-appropriate toys for children under 3. If the child continues to be medically eligible following their 3rd birthday, they can also apply for a Wish Journey from this time.
Medical criteria
- Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children experiencing a life-threatening condition or illness.
- We accept all applications for life-threatening medical conditions which include, but are not restricted to: leukaemia and other childhood cancers, cystic fibrosis, certain types of muscular dystrophy and cardiac disorders. Please speak with us or contact your doctor for more information.
- Your child’s treating medical specialist has the final say on medical eligibility, and must approve your application before we can proceed. We will do our best to facilitate this as quickly as possible and let you know when your doctor has given us approval.
Additional criteria
- In fairness to the many hundreds of sick kids who apply each year, a child who has previously received a wish from us*, or any other wish-granting organisation either in Australia or overseas (including Starlight Foundation), isn't eligible.
*Wish hamper recipients are an exception.