Frequently Asked Questions
Impact
For a child whose wish is about to be granted, the pain and discomfort of the illness and often harsh treatment regimens somehow become more bearable. For many, the excitement of planning and anticipating their dream has a dramatic effect on their healing. These courageous youngsters often experience a renewed sense of energy and hope as they see a different kind of light at the end of the tunnel. Click here for more information on why wishes are essential.
You can download a copy of the most recent Annual Impact Report, as well as reports from previous years by clicking here.
Financial
Wishes vary in expense by their variety and complexity. For example, a travel wish generally involves transportation and accommodation for immediate family members, as well as meals and expenses. In addition, any necessary medical expenses like wheelchairs, respirators, and medical attendants are covered.
Administration costs are necessary to run a national organization; however, Make-A-Wish Canada is committed to keeping these costs to a minimum. The ratio of operational to program costs fluctuates from year to year. The most recent figures can be found on our financials page.
Wish FAQ
At Make-A-Wish Canada, we believe in hope and innovation. Our eligibility criteria are reflective of the latest therapeutic advances and are reviewed regularly in partnership with our medical advisory committee to ensure we adapt to the ever-changing landscape of healthcare science. While our current guidelines are specific, they are not static, and may evolve over time as new treatments become available.
Children must meet these criteria to be eligible for a wish:
- The child is biologically between the ages of 3 and 17
- The child has a critical illness that is currently in the life-threatening stage
- The child has not received a prior wish from any wish-granting organization
The following high-risk, life-threatening principles are used to determine medical eligibility for a wish:
- Children whose current medical condition requires high-risk therapy to survive may qualify for a wish.
- Children who are dependent on technology to survive may qualify for a wish.
- Children with chronic conditions who demonstrate extreme long-term complications may qualify for a wish.
- Children at high risk of death not covered by other criteria on this list may qualify for a wish.
While we strive to reach as many eligible children as possible in Canada, it’s important to note that conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder/ADHD, downs syndrome, speech/language delays, learning disabilities, psychiatric/mental health disorders, diabetes, asthma, global developmental delay, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, though serious, on their own do not fall within our wish granting criteria. We appreciate your understanding and continued support.
Referrals are accepted from healthcare medical professionals*, parents or legal guardians, or a child directly. Anyone else wishing to refer a child needs to go through one of these channels to move a referral forward. For more information, please go to our Refer a Child page.
A child’s medical condition does not need to be terminal to be eligible for a wish. In fact, this is one of the enduring myths about Make-A-Wish. Thanks to research and new medical treatments, this is no longer the case for most children we serve.
The wish truly belongs to the child, though we work with medical teams to support wish children and their families as they determine what wishes will bring the most joy. Learn more about the wish journey.
Our most popular wishes include travel, entertainment centers, computer systems, and meeting celebrities. Wishes typically fit into one of these five categories:
- I wish to go
- I wish to have
- I wish to be
- I wish to meet
- I wish to give
The COVID-19 pandemic has had long-lasting effects on our ability to immediately grant all wishes, though we strive to be ready to grant a child’s wish, as soon as medical approval is received. Given the logistics involved, most wishes take a few weeks to arrange. However, in an emergency, we can fulfill a wish in days.
The critical illnesses most often experienced by wish children are leukemia, Cystic Fibrosis, and brain tumors.
Make-A-Wish Canada granted 1,389 wishes individual wishes in FY2023. That is a 44.1% increase over FY22. Since our founding in 1983, we have granted more than 39,000 wishes to Canadian children.
Marketing
Direct Marketing is a great way to reach out to people in communities across Canada. We work with Inspire Direct Marketing, who conduct our direct marketing campaigns on our behalf. Through direct marketing, we can enrich relationships with our existing donors and raise funds that enable us to continue the important work we do to provide hope to children with critical illnesses by granting even more wishes.
Make-A-Wish Canada does not participate in door-to-door fundraising to support the granting of wishes. As of January 2023, Make-A-Wish Canada does engage in telemarketing through our partnership with Inspire Direct Marketing. (See telemarketing FAQ below for more details).
You can reach out to our Donor Care team who will confirm our partnership with Inspire Direct Marketing and will be happy to address all your questions and concerns.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-888-822-9474
General
We take the security of your personal details very seriously and have measures in place to protect them. Our telemarking partner, Inspire Direct Marketing, is compliant under the PCI Industry Data Security Standards and adheres to a strict set of rules and regulations regarding credit card information which are the same ones that your bank follows.
At Make-A-Wish Canada, we are committed to providing excellent service to our donors, volunteers, wish families and partners. We recognize that concerns about our programs and policies may occasionally arise. We value your input and encourage you to take the time to provide feedback. If you have a complaint or concern, please contact us at 1-888-822-9474.