Fulfilling a wish is a step-by-step process that leads to a magical experience for each child.
The Wish from Start to Finish
Step 1: The referral
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles must rely on medical professionals, parents and children themselves for referrals. Children who have reached the age of 2 ½ and are under the age of 18 at the time of referral and have not been a past wish recipient from Make-A-Wish or any another wish-granting organization, may be eligible for a wish.
Step 2: Medical eligibility
The child's primary physician determines his or her medical eligibility for a wish. To receive a wish, the child must be diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition - i.e., a progressive, degenerative or malignant condition that has placed the child's life in jeopardy.
Step 3: Determining the child's wish
Make-A-Wish depends on teams of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers to visit with wish children and their families and determine the wish child's most heartfelt wish. They bring small introductory gifts for the wish child and each of his or her siblings before determining what the child would like more than anything in the world. They also ask for a second and third wish choice in the event the first request isn't possible to fulfill for any reason.
Step 4: Creating magic
Once the child's wish has been determined and approved as medically appropriate by their doctor, Make-A-Wish works to create an unforgettable experience driven by the child's creativity. Each wish creates memorable experiences that enrich the lives of the children and their families, and all those who contribute to the granting of the wish.
