Make-A-Wish Looking for Wishers

Children with life-threatening medical conditions need the magic of a wish come true. The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia needs your help to find children who may qualify for our magic.

Children can be referred by anyone – a parent, guardian, family member or teacher – but are qualified by the child’s physician. Life-threatening medical conditions, which 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 transplants. Children with more chronic conditions like cerebral palsy, developmental delays, diabetes, Crohn’s disease or spina bifida, may qualify if their conditions are coupled with other complications and the combination is considered life-threatening.

If you know a child, aged 2 ½ to under the age of 18, who may qualify, please contact the Make-A-Wish office at (814) 938-8888. Referring a child only takes a few minutes, but the memories of a wish last a lifetime.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia is a non-profit organization, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. It was founded in 1983 and serves 57 counties in western, central and northeastern Pennsylvania and 23 counties in southern West Virginia with headquarters in Pittsburgh and regional offices in Erie, Punxsutawney, Pottsville, Wilkes-Barre and York, Pa., and Charleston, W.Va.

In fiscal year 2008, the Foundation fulfilled 706 wishes with the help of more than 900 volunteers. 85.9% of all donations fund wish granting activity. The Punxsutawney Regional Office opened in July 1994. It oversees wish fulfillment and fund raising activities in Blair, Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, McKean and Potter counties. In fiscal year 2008, the Regional Office fulfilled 62 wishes. Currently, the Foundation is one of the most active chapters in the country, having fulfilled nearly 10,000 wishes, and has earned two consecutive 4-star evaluations from Charity Navigator. For more information on how to refer children or to volunteer, please call the Make-A-Wish Foundation at 1-800-676-9474 or visit its Web site at www.wishgreaterpa.org.