June 27, 2021
Statement on Make-A-Wish health and safety policy for children with critical illnesses
Summary:
- At Make-A-Wish, our mission is to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We strive to bring hope and joy to all of the children we serve.
- We understand that there are many families whose children aren't eligible for the vaccine yet, and we also know that there are families who are choosing not to get the vaccine. We respect everyone’s freedom of choice. Make-A-Wish will not require anyone to get vaccinated to have the opportunity to get a wish.
- Since the beginning of the pandemic, Make-A-Wish has safely granted over 6,500 wishes to children and families, including those who are unvaccinated and vaccinated. We are currently granting and continuing to grant a wide variety of wishes such as road trips to national parks, virtual celebrity meetings, outdoor playhouses, shopping sprees, staycations, wishes for pets, computers, room redecorations, and many more.
Full Statement:
At Make-A-Wish, our mission is to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Make-A-Wish has continued to keep the health and safety of our wish children, wish families, and volunteers at the forefront of our decisions – and we have spent each day re-imagining how to grant wishes safely.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Make-A-Wish has safely granted over 6,500 wishes to children and families, including those who are unvaccinated and vaccinated. We are currently granting and continue to grant a wide variety of wishes such as road trips to national parks, virtual celebrity meetings, outdoor playhouses, shopping sprees, staycations, wishes for pets, computers, room redecorations, and many more, to bring hope and joy to all of the children we serve.
Throughout this challenging period, we have been actively consulting with doctors and medical professionals through our National Medical Advisory Council, as well as monitoring public health organizations like the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics. We’ve approached this responsibility with our priority focus on our wish families’ health and safety, keeping in mind that wish kids are some of the most vulnerable among us. Based on the guidance of these medical experts, Make-A-Wish plans to expand to also grant air travel wishes within the United States and its territories, as well as to grant wishes involving large gatherings for wish children and their families who have been vaccinated on September 15, 2021.
We understand that there are many families whose children aren't eligible for the vaccine yet, and we also know that there are families who are choosing to not get the vaccine. We respect everyone’s freedom of choice. Make-A-Wish will continue to grant wishes for all eligible children. Make-A-Wish will not require anyone to get vaccinated to have the opportunity to receive a wish.
Any child fighting a critical illness is eligible for Make-A-Wish. While it does not reflect the majority of children we serve, we do occasionally serve children whose medical provider has determined that the child will not survive their illness. In time-sensitive situations involving an end-of-life diagnosis, a special process has been and will continue to be in place regardless of vaccination status.
We look forward to the day when medical experts advise that we can lift all restrictions. Above all, we remain committed to our vision of granting the wish of every eligible child. As we enter phase one of our reemergence plan, we thank you for your patience, your cooperation, your partnership, and your trust.
Español
Declaración sobre la norma de salud y seguridad de Make-A-Wish para niños/as con enfermedades críticas
Resumen:
- En Make-A-Wish, nuestra misión es crear deseos que cambien la vida de los niños/as con enfermedades críticas. Nos esforzamos por llevar esperanza y alegría a todos los niños/as a los que servimos.
- Nosotros entendemos que hay muchas familias cuyos niños/as aún no son elegibles para la vacuna, y también sabemos que hay familias que están optando por no recibir la vacuna. Nosotros respetamos la libertad de elección de todos. Make-A-Wish no requerirá que nadie se vacune para recibir un deseo.
- Desde el inicio de la pandemia, Make-A-Wish ha concedido con seguridad más de 6,500 deseos a niños/asas y familias, incluyendo a aquellos que están vacunados y que no están vacunados. Actualmente estamos concediendo y seguiremos concediendo una amplia variedad de deseos, tales como viajes por carretera a parques nacionales, reuniones virtuales con celebridades, casitas de juego al aire libre, paseos de compras, vacaciones en casa, deseos de mascotas, computadoras, redecoraciones de habitaciones y muchos más.
Declaración Completa:
En Make-A-Wish, nuestra misión es crear deseos que cambien la vida de los niños/as con enfermedades críticas. Desde el inicio de la pandemia del COVID-19, Make-A-Wish ha mantenido en mente la salud y la seguridad de nuestros niños/as, familias y voluntarios al frente de nuestras decisiones – y hemos pasado cada día reimaginando cómo conceder deseos de forma segura.
Desde el inicio de la pandemia, Make-A-Wish ha concedido con seguridad más de 6,500 deseos a niños/as y familias, incluyendo a aquellos que están vacunados y que no están vacunados. Actualmente estamos concediendo y seguiremos concediendo una amplia variedad de deseos, tales como viajes por carretera a parques nacionales, reuniones virtuales con celebridades, casitas de juego al aire libre, paseos de compras, vacaciones en casa, deseos de mascotas, computadoras, redecoraciones de habitaciones y muchos más, para brindar esperanza y alegría a todos los niños/as a quienes servimos.