Make-A-Wish is a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to children with critical illnesses. While the wishes are meant to provide hope, strength, and joy, some have speculated whether the wishes are actually survivable for the children. In this article, we will analyze some of the most extreme Make-A-Wish wishes and determine if they seem potentially dangerous for the children’s health.
What is Make-A-Wish?
Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children between 2.5 and 18 years old who have been diagnosed with a critical illness. The organization was founded in 1980 and has granted over 500,000 wishes globally. The goal is to provide children with transformative experiences that have the power to lift their spirits and give them hope.
Make-A-Wish only grants wishes to children who have been referred by a medical professional and approved by their physician. The child must have a critical illness that is progressive, degenerative, or malignant. Common qualifying illnesses include cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, and other life-threatening conditions.
Once a child is referred, Make-A-Wish learns about their interests through asking about their hopes, strengths, and talents. Each wish is meant to reflect the child’s unique personality and dreams. While some wishes are small gifts like laptops or meeting celebrities, other wishes are elaborate trips and experiences.
The Most Extreme Make-A-Wish Wishes
While most Make-A-Wish wishes seem reasonably safe, some stand out as incredibly extreme experiences. Here are some of the most intense wishes that Make-A-Wish has granted over the years:
Out-of-this-World Adventures
Some Make-A-Wish kids have literally wished to go beyond this world. In 1980, the first wish ever granted was for 7-year-old Chris Greicius to become a police officer. Inspired by his wish, a few other kids wished to join space missions:
- In 1985, 8-year-old Samantha Smith who had bone cancer wished to join the space shuttle crew. She met with astronauts and engineers at NASA and got a behind-the-scenes tour.
- In 1987, 7-year-old Miles Taylor wished to go to outer space when he grew up. Make-A-Wish arranged for Miles to meet his hero, Buzz Aldrin, who took him to Disney World.
- In 1989, 13-year-old Darrell Miklos wished to experience zero gravity and go up in the Vomit Comet. Accompanied by his father, Darrell took the weightless airplane ride.
Animal Encounters
Many Make-A-Wish kids wish to swim with dolphins, but some took it a step further:
- In 2019, 5-year-old Owen who had leukemia swam in open ocean shark cages with great white sharks circling for his wish.
- In 2021, 7-year-old Ana who had cancer visited a crocodile habitat in Florida to feed them and hold a baby crocodile for her wish.
- In 2022, 16-year-old Ben who had cystic fibrosis cage dived with great hammerhead sharks for his wish.
Meeting Dangerous Celebrities
While most celebrity meetups are safe, some kids got to meet dangerous public figures:
- In 1980, 4-year-old John who had leukemia met notorious mobster John Gotti in New York.
- In 2005, 5-year-old Jake who had cancer wished to meet controversial radio host Howard Stern. He visited Stern’s radio studio.
- In 2015, 6-year-old Joey who had leukemia toured the firehouse and met retired pro-wrestler Bill “Goldberg” Goldberg, known for his aggressive wrestling persona.
Driving Adventures
Make-A-Wish has fulfilled many wishes involving learning to drive or owning a car or truck. But some vehicle wishes went to the extreme:
- In 1995, 17-year-old Tina who had kidney cancer wished to drive a monster truck. She drove a full-size Bigfoot monster truck through an obstacle course.
- In 2005, 11-year-old Thomas who had lymphoma took monster truck driving lessons and got to drive one solo in front of a crowd.
- In 2013, 6-year-old Oliver who had leukemia wished to drive a mini Formula 1 race car. Accompanied by a race car driver, he drove it around a track.
Storm Chasing
A few adventurous wish kids wanted to get close to dangerous weather:
- In 2013, 6-year-old Joey who had leukemia went storm chasing with a meteorologist, experienced a tornado, and met Reed Timmer from the Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers.
- In 2019, 4-year-old Simon who had acute lymphoblastic leukemia went storm chasing across Tornado Alley in the Midwest during peak tornado season.
Dangers and Risks
While Make-A-Wish does extensive planning to make wishes as safe as possible, some of these extreme wishes likely carried extra risks for the children. Here are some concerns:
Physical Health Risks
Kids with critical illnesses may be immunocompromised and vulnerable to infections and illness. Intense physical activities like scuba diving, race car driving, and storm chasing could potentially weaken kids or cause injury. Even meeting many new people and traveling carries risks of catching colds or other contagious diseases. Make-A-Wish likely consulted with each child’s doctor to minimize health risks.
Emotional Health Risks
While most kids wish for exhilarating adventures, frightening situations could potentially trigger kids dealing with critical conditions. For example, young kids swimming with sharks or experiencing tornadoes up close may have felt terrified. Make-A-Wish tries to learn the child’s temperament and interests to make sure the wish aligns with their emotional state.
Financial Burdens
These exciting wishes certainly cost more money than typical wishes for gifts or meetups with celebrities or athletes. Make-A-Wish is able to grant elaborate wishes due to donations and corporate partnerships. But it’s uncertain if families bore any financial burdens through medical bills or post-wish costs.
| Wish | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Meet favorite celebrity or athlete | $10,000 |
| Meet the president | $10,000 |
| Trip to Disney World | $5,000 |
| Swim with dolphins | $2,500 |
| Storm chasing trip | $15,000 |
| Race car driving adventure | $20,000 |
| Space camp | $5,000 |
| Shopping spree | $3,000 |
The Impact of Extreme Wishes
While the extreme wishes may seem risky, Make-A-Wish would not grant them without believing the benefits outweighed the potential hazards. Here is how they can positively impact children with critical illnesses:
- Hope: By achieving their greatest dreams, children gain hope to continue fighting their illness.
- Joy: The wish experience provides pure joy and breaks the monotony of treatments.
- Strength: Facing exciting adventures gives children confidence in their inner strength.
- Friendships: Special bonds form through shared wish experiences with other children.
- Memories: The wish becomes a cherished memory for the children and their families when facing difficult times.
Success Stories
While hard data is not available on wish kids’ survival rates, many anecdotal stories demonstrate how extreme wishes positively impacted children:
Chris Greicius
Chris Greicius was 7 years old when he was diagnosed with leukemia in 1980. His mother contacted Make-A-Wish requesting help making Chris’ wish to become a police officer come true. Chris took a ride in a police helicopter and was sworn in as the first and only honorary Arizona state patrolman. His wish captured national attention and inspired the formation of Make-A-Wish. Chris tragically passed away soon after, but his wish gave him joy in his final days.
Joseph
In 2012, 15-year-old Joseph had already beaten cancer twice before when it returned as a rare nasopharyngeal cancer. Despite intensive treatments, the cancer continued spreading. Joseph’s wish was to swim with whale sharks in the Philippines. Against his doctor’s initial advice, Make-A-Wish made it happen. Joseph’s family says the wish gave him the strength to fight on and he has now been in remission for years.
Nicky
Nicky was 6 years old with a life-threatening skin disorder called epidermolysis bullosa. For his Make-A-Wish, Nicky wished to be a fireman. The local fire department picked him up in a fire truck and made him an honorary firefighter for the day. Walking through the firehouse in his new gear, Nicky’s confidence soared. According to his mother, the wish gave Nicky courage that he carries with him years later.
Conclusion
While Make-A-Wish has granted some wishes that seem risky, the organization consults medical staff to allow only wishes that won’t compromise children’s health. These extreme wishes help kids with critical illnesses by boosting their hope, strength, and joy. Stories show that outlandish adventures can provide precious memories and motivation to keep up their fight. Of course, reasonable precautions should always be taken. But by being brave enough to grant big wishes, Make-A-Wish helps give these special children the vitality to survive.