A child who is undergoing treatment for a critical illness has so much of their normal childhood taken away from them.
A wish is a reminder to us all just how important it is to be a child and PLAY.
When children PLAY, they feel safe. Children PLAY to express themselves, to make sense of the world around them, and they PLAY to forge connections with loved ones and peers.
When children are asked "What are your wish ideas?" they are encouraged to think outside of the walls of their critical illness, medicine, and hospital bed. They are reconnected to what is most meaningful to them as a child.
Studies show that children who receive a wish report significate reduction in general distress, depression, and anxiety symptoms, as well as show improved health-related quality of life, hope, and positive affect.1
In honor of childhood PLAY and bringing more wish experiences to our children in Arizona, I'm proudly fundraising for Make-A-Wish Arizona this summer – will you join me by making a gift today?
Yes, that's a photo of me as a child! My whole world growing up revolved around music and playing basketball. What would you have wished for as a child? :)
Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Fleming
Sr. Manager of Referrals and Medical Outreach
1.Shoshani, A. Mifano, K. Czamanski-Cohen, J. (2015). The effects of the [Make-A-Wish] intervention on psychiatric symptoms and health-related quality of life of children with cancer: a randomized
controlled trial. Quality of Life Research, 25(5), 1209- 1218. doi 10.1007/s11136-015-1148-7
