An Opportunity to Give Hope to More than 600 Children in the Mid-Atlantic Region

This year alone, 840 children who reside in the Mid-Atlantic region (Central and Southern Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia) are expected to be diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition.

Founded in 1983, Make-A-Wish® Mid-Atlantic’s primary objective is to replace the pain and fear associated with life-threatening illnesses with the optimism and excitement inspired by a wish experience.  Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic has granted more than 8,300 wishes since its inception, but currently for every wish granted, at least two more children in the region are waiting for their wish to be fulfilled.

More than 600 kids in the Mid-Atlantic region are waiting right now for their wish to be granted.  The community has the opportunity to make an impact today by helping Make-A-Wish reach these kids whose wishes would otherwise go unanswered this year.

Pushing the Limits to Ensure a One-of-a-Kind Experience

In addition to improving its capacity to serve more children in the Mid-Atlantic region, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic strives to maximize the level of satisfaction that each wish child and their family derive from the wish experience.

Typically, wishes fall into one of the following five categories:

•  “I wish to go”
•  “I wish to be”
•  “I wish to meet”
•  “I wish to have”
•  “I wish to give”

For each wish, a pair of wish-granting volunteers works with the child to determine their one true wish. The volunteers then collaborate with Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic staff to fulfill every detail of the wish, pushing the limits of creativity to ensure a one-of-a-kind, magical experience for the entire family. A wish granted brings hope, strength and joy to sick children when they need it most.

Little D’s Story – I wish to go…play with robots

According to the results of a 2011 Wish Impact Study, ninety-nine percent of parents reported that the wish experience gave their children increased feelings of happiness and ninety-six percent said that the wish experience strengthened their families.

A heart-tugging example of this is the story of local wish kid Daniel (or “Little D” as his family calls him).   Diagnosed at age two and a half with metachromatic leukodystrophy, Daniel and his family faced an extremely challenging future. Despite the disheartening news, they were determined to focus on positive experiences and happy times together. When they learned little D would receive a wish, they wanted to find the perfect fit. Daniel loves everything about robots and was delighted at the chance to have a special wish that would bring him up close and personal with an array of magical machinery!

You Can Help Fulfill 600+ Wishes Right Now

The cost to grant a wish varies based on the nature and type of wish, but through the combined support of individuals, groups, businesses and schools, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic can fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Those interested in contributing to Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic’s wish-granting efforts can donate cash, air miles and in-kind goods and services to help make a difference in sick children’s lives when they need it most. Tax-deductible donations can be made at https://midatlantic.wish.org/ways-to-help/giving/donate.   Additionally, one of the best ways to support Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic is to donate through workplace giving (or the Combined Federal Campaign if you’re a Federal employee). Through workplace giving, you can have your tax-deductible contribution automatically donated to Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic via payroll deduction, empowering you to donate more money, but through small payments scheduled throughout the year.  This makes it easier on your wallet, and easier for Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic to realize its mission.