We are AVM survivors, here for your support.

Make-A-Wish Eligibility

Our kids are eligible for having a wish granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. My son Ryan had his wish of going to a professional motocross race granted earlier this month, and he was in heaven! It was by far the best time of his life. He got to meet Ryan Dungey, who's currently in first place on the pro motocross circuit, and even got a sweaty, dirty, signed practice jersey from him!

Make-A-Wish is a wonderful organization who grants wishes to kids with life-threatening illnesses or conditions. It's a common misperception that they only grant wishes to kids with terminal illnesses. I first applied for Ryan when he was initially diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, but then when his diagnosis was changed to an AVM, it turned out that he was still eligible.

You can find out more about the Make-A-Wish Foundation by going to www.wish.org. You can nominate your own child or someone else's, and their eligibility is verified by their doctor. Let Make-A-Wish make your child's wish come true. And what's even better, you get to watch the absolute delight on your child's face and forget about all the yucky stuff for a while.

Make-A-Wish also takes donations because granting wishes is not free for them. They're a great organization. Check them out.

Kelly

Tags: Make-A-Wish

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by StarieNite on June 1, 2011 at 12:09am

My mom was trying to get him to pick Disneyland. We live in AZ so my mom and dad where going to save up and take my family to meet us there, but Dev decided that he had been the DL enough and wants to go big. So my dad is planning on having a "business trip" to Orlando and tag along and if my sister in law is in Naples (she works there six months out of the year) she might do a day with us too.

Permalink Reply by sam drummond on November 23, 2011 at 6:30pm

I applied for my son Luke 2 people from make a wish came to see him we are now waiting to hear from them hoping to hear something before Christmas he really wants to go to Florida to swim with the dolphins

Permalink Reply by Kelly Nelsen on November 28, 2011 at 6:56pm

That would be awesome to swim with dolphins! I hope you hear something soon!

Permalink Reply by Mary (Jaime's Mom) on November 30, 2011 at 10:57am

We live in NJ and my daughter had her embolization/angiogram with a follow up craniotomy in NY, July 2009. A week after surgery we took her to a Paul McCartney concert....had contacted Make A Wish... We'd hoped to arrange for her to meed Paul or even just better seats but were told she didn't meet the criteria. It was disappointing but we figured in the big scheme of things "this is probably a good thing"...happy her situation was no longer deemed life threatening. It is a wonderful organization for those who do qualify !!

Permalink Reply by sam drummond on December 2, 2011 at 8:38pm

update on Luke's make a wish rang them yesterday they told me they are just waiting on his neurosurgeon to confirm he can fly then they can allocate him a wish granter so exited for him xx

Permalink Reply by Jaynied (Jake's Mam) on December 12, 2011 at 5:00pm

I can't understand why, having read all of these, but Jake isn't eligible. I phoned Make a wish and they said Jakes surgeon said he wasnt eligible so there's nothing they can do. I think it stinks, Jake is really upset about it as he'd already picked what he would wish for. I don't get it! His avm ruptured, he almost died, had 3 lots of brain surgery, and possibly has another avm, but that isnt 'enough!

Permalink Reply by Kelly Nelsen on December 13, 2011 at 8:28am

A lot of people, including doctors and surgeons, mistakenly think that Make-A-Wish is only for terminally ill kids. That's not the case -- it's for kids with life-threatening conditions (which may or may not be terminal). I wonder if you could call surgeon and ask him why he thinks that Jake isn't eligible? Maybe he doesn't realize the distinction with Make-A-Wish?

Permalink Reply by Jaynied (Jake's Mam) on December 14, 2011 at 4:32pm

Kelly, I would try and contact Jake's surgeon but I'd be wasting my time - he is not much of a people person and refuses to speak to patients on the phone. We were given some scary news by his registrar in the summer which turned out to be incorrect, but the surgeon would not speak to me to clear this up and i spent nearly 2 weeks almost out of my mind with worry. In the grand scheme of things I suppose it doesnt really matter, Jakes alive and well and thats what matters to me. But if there was a chance he could get some kind of treat to go someway towards making up for what hes been through I would love to take it. Its just frustrating.

Permalink Reply by Jason Victor on December 14, 2011 at 8:39am

Did you wait a while. I submitted our story about a month ago and Ive not heard anything yet.

Permalink Reply by Kelly Nelsen on December 14, 2011 at 8:48am

Yes, it can take a few months, although you could call and ask if they've received your application. I know they have to verify it with your child's doctor, and their response to you depends upon how long your doc takes to respond.