Why do you submit referrals?

Referring a child to Make-A-Wish allows me to link a family that has been through a very emotionally taxing crisis the chance to have a bit of magic during a difficult time. A chance to make a life long lasting impression on a child who has undergone a life altering event and allow them to have something to look forward to. Make-A-Wish allows them to create lifelong memories that they will be able to remember during a dark time in their lives.

How would you describe the impact a wish has on your patients?

Make-A-Wish has been able to provide families and patients with so much joy and hope. The opportunity to have the child make a wish and have it granted brings the child such happiness that allows them to hold onto memories that helps them during their treatment for their chronic condition. Most of my families wouldn’t be able to be able to give such experiences to their children. Make-A-Wish impacts not only the patients but also the whole family as they are all able to be a part of this memorable moments. Though the biggest impact I see in my patients is that it allows them to be children again, it lets them to put aside what they are going through and lets them experience fun, happiness, joy, and magic.

How has working with Make-A-Wish impacted your work and your life?

I have been at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles for 8 years now and Make-A-Wish has allowed me to have a positive impact on so many children and their families. It allows me to link these families with such a heartwarming program that provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to many families that would not otherwise be able to provide such an experience to their children. Many of the children bring stories and pictures back from their wishes to share with the medical team. It is great to see the way their faces light up when they share their experiences and stories. You can hear the excitement in their voices and the sparkle in their eyes when they are sharing their memories of their wish. That’s enough to make you feel the magic that Make-A-Wish brings to the lives of our families.

What wish or wish ideas have stood out to you the most and why?

I’ve had the opportunity to see many wishes granted by Make-A-Wish. The ones that have stood out to me have been the wishes that children make that include their families. It is amazing to see that even though these children are suffering from a chronic illness and have a lot of “bad days”; when given an opportunity to be a little selfish and ask for a once in a lifetime wish for themselves, they want a wish where they can include their siblings and parents. I am strong believer that happiness is only real when shared, these children display such selfless acts when using their wish to share their happiness with their whole family. These are the wishes that stand out to me.