Make A Wish

[Seana30]

I know this has been discussed before but how many of you have had a wish fullfilled through Make A Wish Foundation?

I filled out the online form tonight, but can't help but feel a little guilty because Courtney is not "sick". Of course she has CF but is pretty healthy. I just feel like I want her to have her wish before she gets real ill (fingers crossed that she never does).

For those that have done it, what was the process? Do they just contact your doctors and verify that the person does have CF?

Thanks

Seana

 

[Faust]

I've been thinking about calling in on an old promise from them. When I was really young and sick, they told me they were there for me. Now that i'm 35 and healthy, I want to call in and ask to be a performer in some of Jenna Jamesons movies with her. Think they will take it?

 

[S]

from what i have heard they would rather you make a wish while the child is pretty healthy so they can enjoy it to the fullest...so don't feel guilty asking for it. i never asked for one because i felt the same way you do. i grew up healthy(never in the hospital or on i.v.'s until i was 14-15) and well taken care of by my parents and have lived a great life in terms of having fun and getting to travel, etc. due to the money my dad made. i always figured someone less fortunate should be ahead of me.

 

[Emily65Roses]

I had one when I was in 6th grade, but it wasn't by the Make a Wish. When my mom tried them back then, they told me I wasn't sick enough to warrant getting one. So my mom then went through the Starlight Foundation, and I got a wish from them.

 

[coltsfan715]

I had one granted when I was in 5th grade. I loved it. We went to Orlando for the week and had a day at each Disney Park, Universal and Sea World. I wasn't really sick when I got mine, and if I had to do it now I would choose something different but I loved it and wouldn't trade having done it.

Lindsey

 

[LoveShines4Austin]

This is SUCH a touchy subject for me. I saw the title and my stomach flip flopped.

When Austin was 12, the Make A Wish Foundation had a fundraiser at our local mall. My mother took Austin there and as soon as the people in charge heard that he had CF, they quickly rushed him over for a live radio interview. When asked what he wanted, Austin said he would love a dirt bike. He was told that was a great choice and that they couldn't wait to make that happen for him.

When he was done, a woman affiliated with the foundation talked further with my mother. She said that if they did the dirt bike wish, a little trailer would be provided to tow it around with. She gave my mother a number for me to call the following Monday.

He was so excited and told EVERYONE what he was going to get. I called on Monday morning and the person I spoke to told me that there was no way that anyone that worked for them would have promised my son those things. She said that they never offer a wish that involves a motorized vehicle of any kind. I was livid that anyone would have made such a promise, only to yank it from someone so easily.

She told me to ask Austin if there was something else he would like instead. I told her that I would call her back. I had to sit my son down and tell him, that once again, an adult had lied to him. He was devastated! Once I was able to calm him down, I asked him if maybe there was something else he would like instead. His next choice was a computer.

I called the foundation back and let them know what he had chosen. They said that they would send me some paperwork and some forms for his doctor to fill out, to prove that he had CF.

A few MONTHS later I got a letter from the foundation. His wish was denied. According to Austin's doctors, he was not ill enough to warrant a wish. I was told to be thankful for the good news. Yeah right! They weren't the ones that were going to have to tell me son that he wasn't going to get his wish. It broke his little heart.

I AM thankful that my son is doing so well, but that doesn't mean they had a right to do what they did. The wishes should be used for children that are "closer to death" but they should also be well enough to enjoy them. We won't ever have anything to do with their foundation again. I sure hope that no one has to go through what we went through.

 

[Jenni]

I think Make A Wish is great, they granted my daughters wish last year. My son is getting on this year. The process is very easy, and yes they do contact the doctor to make sure they are healthy enough to travel and so on. We are going to Disney.

 

[kybert]

dont feel guilty at all about it. like you said, its best to get the wish before she gets really ill.

i gotta agree with others on the actual 'make a wish' foundation. in my eyes they stink. they are stingey and rarely give any wishes to cf patients. years ago, my brother wanted to be granted a wish. for some reason they took ages to respond and when they finally did it was too late. they ended up giving him a wish when he was ALMOST DEAD! now what the hell is the point in that? why not give the wish earlier when people first asked?

i got my wish from the starlight foundation too. highly recommended. at least they consider cf to be a real disease.

 

[anonymous]

Make a Wish says it grants wishes to children with "life-threatening medical conditions"
Starlight says it grants wishes to "seriously ill children and their families". Starlight as a bunch of programs (DVDs) and such about living with tough illneses ( <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.starlight.org/site/c.fuLQK6MMIpG/b.1075955/k.FB2E/Browse_our_Programs.htm">http://www.starlight.org/site/...rowse_our_Programs.htm</a> ) including "Fitting CF into your Life Everyday" ( <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.starlight.org/site/c.fuLQK6MMIpG/b.1090035/k.5E2/Fitting_CF_into_your_Life_Everyday_CDROM.htm">http://www.starlight.org/site/...ife_Everyday_CDROM.htm</a> ).

Both will honor only one wish and then only if you haven't had a wish honored by another "wish-granting" organization.

 

[EnergyGal]

Hi Laurel

sounds like make a wish was only interested in their media hype which they got. I guess it was their wish to BS. Many organizations are focussed on meeting their financial status and that is what they thrive on. Wish smish give me a nice dish-that is something that Dr. Seus would say. Glad to hear that your Child is healthy. That is the best wish anyone could ask for.
Risa

 

[anonymous]

I really don't see how anyone can give out about Make-a-wish. The work they do is great, they help some really sick sick people. A lot of cf people who go to make wishes, aren't really sick enough to get them. Some (and not ALL) cf people, see it as 'oh i have cf, so cf=getting a treat/free trip'. I know a boy with cf who is waiting for a transplant and he got a wish to go to see wrestlers. It was fantastic for him. I also know of SEVERAL cf kids, many of whom have only had ivs once or twice in their lives and they have also made wishes.

Its a touchy subject. Some people would have no qualms about getting one, even though their child is healthy. "My child has to live with cf so he deserves it" kind of thing. Others would argue that they are a charity whose job is to provide a little bit of (much needed) happiness in a very sick child. I suppose everyones entitled to their opinion. I hope I have not offended anybody.

G/22/cf

 

[tiregrl19]

Okay I am very passionate about this subject, so here goes. I just
received my wish the end of February, I am healthy but have CF. My
wish supervisor encouraged me for years before I actually signed up
for one. The wish I chose originally when I was 17 had a huge
waiting list so I decided to switch my wish when I was 19 and saw
no progress. I went on a cruise in February so of course I had to
have it reserved way in advance (the reason why I am 20 and finally
receiving a wish). I know several people who are apart of the Iowa
chapter of Make-A-Wish. Heres the part that may aggravate people.
Just because a person is healthy doesn't mean they shouldn't
receive a wish, that does not make them selfish or using their
disease to get a free trip if they do get a wish. When I signed up
for one my dad wanted to pay for it 'quietly' so no one would know.
The Make-A-Wish foundation wouldn't let him. So far I have been
apart of the foundation for 4 years. We have a annual dinner and
auction where people buy tables for a rather large sum of money so
my dad contributes that way. I plan on speaking about my wish to
people as a part of the Make-A-Wish foundation whenever I can. Some
rules that I know of is that you have to have a terminal disease,
be under 18, and they must call your physician and establish that
you indeed have a life threatening disease. My only advice on a
wish is think really hard about what you want and the older the
child the better. I know a little girl that has changed her mind a
million times about her wish. It is a big deal- not a free ride,
just a chance to enjoy yourself.

 

[anonymous]

But it goes back to my point, if a child or person has cf and is healthy, why should they get a wish?

G/22/cf

 

[spicyone18]

I got a wish granted when I was in the 4th grade. I went to Disney World but I got my wish granted throuh Wish with Wings

 

[anonymous]

from Make-a-wish's web site:

"We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy."

It doesn't say you have to FEEL sick to get a wish.

Both of my son's have been recommended fro MAW. My younger son got his wish last year which was a GREAT trip to Hawaii! My older son, being 14 and WAY to cool for a wish is still thinking. His idea is "if I take a wish, then it mean I'm a sick kid". We explained to the boys that you only have to have the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness to be qualified, NOT the symptoms.

MAW is a tremendous organization. My advice is DO IT!!!!! Its a great experinece for the family too.

Laurel, Your experience is so upsetting. For us, all the questions were answered by the wish team over the phone BEFORE they came to talk to the kids. My son gave a first and second choice wish, just in case. I'm so sorry that happened to Austin. Our circumstance was so different.

Jane

 

[Jane]

forgive my spelling errors, I wasn't logged in so I can't edit<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif" border="0">

 

[Rokiss12]

hey everybody

so im 16 now, and i think the cut off for make a wish is 16 or 17... i've always wanted to do it, but i never thought i was sick enough. but then i tell myself that if they're there then why not take advantage of it. im so conflicted!

i was thinking about what i wanted for my wish, and i was thinking that either maybe getting some money to put towards a car, (i've heard on another website that they gave one girl a used car, so maybe i cuold do that) or something to do with fashion design (like getting an internship or something) or a like semi thing where we get a limo rented to bring me and my friends to the dance.

so my question is, do these sound reasonable? does it sound like i've got the right idea about the foundation? should i do it? i guess i always thought there were people less fortunate then me, and i should save it for them, and me being the stubborn person i am thought i wouldnt ever be like them. should i just stay in 'denial'? or take advantage or it while im stilll 'of age'?

thanks people <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
<3Kate

 

[NoExcuses]

.

 

[thelizardqueen]

I had my wish granted through Make a Wish when I was 7 years old. We had one week in Disney World, all expenses paid. Afterwards, our local newstation had picked up on my wish being granted, and I had a tv interview done about my condition, etc. I wasn't sick enough at all for the wish (in fact not sick at all), but it was granted. I had the time of my life!!

 

[Seana30]

Thank you all for the reponses!

I will look into the Starlight foundation also!

Seana