Make-A-Wish® Foundation of Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do wishes cost?
The average cost of a wish is $3,400, which is based on our most popular wish, a trip to Disney World. Any one single donor who gives $3,400 or more is considered a Wishmaker®.

What's the most unusual wish you've ever done?
There have been several - we've sent a child to visit "where eagles live," had a child experience a landing and take-off from the deck of an aircraft carrier, granted a request for a dinosaur tooth, made it possible for a child to be a zookeeper for a day and finally, made a little boy into a superhero.

Have you ever had a celebrity say no to a wish child?
Most celebrities cooperate fully when they are approached by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The challenge is getting to the right person or agent. Some celebrities are so inundated with requests they now limit the number of wishes they will fulfill in one year.

Doesn't the Make-A-Wish Foundation just send kids to Disney World?
No, Disney World wishes are just 44% of all the wishes we do. Other popular requests include computers, shopping sprees, trips to Hawaii, celebrity meetings and swimming pools.

What if the child becomes sick again? Can they have another wish?
No, every eligible child may have one wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In addition, if a child has received a wish from another wish granting organization, they are ineligible to receive a wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

What illnesses qualify for a child for a wish?
Conditions that generally qualify children for our services include, but are not limited to, various forms of cancer, heart disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy and organ transplants. Children with more chronic conditions like cerebral palsy, diabetes, developmental delays, epilepsy, Crohn’s disease or Spina Bifida may qualify if their conditions are coupled with other complications and the combination is considered life-threatening.