Make-A-Wish Foundation

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Make-A-Wish Foundation logo

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that grants wishes to children (3 to 18 years old) with life-threatening medical conditions.

Make-A-Wish originated in Arizona in 1980, where a 7 year old boy named Chris Greicius was hospitalized with leukemia. The Arizona Department of Public Safety, hospital workers and members of the community teamed up and were able to grant his 'wish': to become a police officer for one day. Ample media coverage led to the founding of a permanent charity organization, using Greicius' case as a model.

Originally based in the United States, a chapter in Canada, called Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada, was created in 1983 by Nigel Brown & Robb Lucy. The first Canadian wish was granted in 1983. It was a wish for a girl named Debbie who wanted to visit her parents in Germany. She got to visit them in August 1983. She died in October 1983. In addition a non-profit umbrella organization called Make-A-Wish Foundation International, licensed by Make-A-Wish in 1993, fosters the growth of affiliated Make-A-Wish organizations worldwide. More than 30 countries were affiliated in 2005.

In 2006, the foundation formed a partnership with ESPN, a television network, to grant 10 of its clients wishes related to sports and athletes. The segments were televised on SportsCenter in a series called "My Wish"

Make-A-Wish foundation also supports a Annual European Charity Band under the direction of Danny Lieberman that sends students to Europe to play music for children in hospitals and to grant wishes.

[edit] Trivia

The Make-A-Wish Foundation was featured in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, in the episode 'Make A Wish', where a terminally ill girl got her wish granted to meet her hero, and was instrumental in helping him defeat one of his greatest Nemesis, Doctor Octopus.