Wish eligibility

A child must meet certain criteria in order to be eligible to receive a wish from Make-A-Wish UK. Please see below for more information. If you have any questions about the referrals process, please contact our Referrals team on 0118 304 3368 or by email to referrals@makeawish.org.uk.

What are the criteria?

Eligible conditions

Click on the relevant category below to view a list of eligible conditions.

Trauma

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • 3rd degree burns more than 30% body surface
  • 3rd degree burns between 10% and 50% area when this concerns the face and / or hands
  • Multisystem trauma with permanent disabilities

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • 3rd degree burns less than 30% body surface area

Cardiology

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • Dilated cardiomyopathy with heart failure
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Primary pulmonary hypertension
  • Chronic pulmonary hypertension if it can lead to a reduction in life expectancy
  • Congenital heart defect with heart failure or ongoing cyanosis
  • Arrhythmias that require an internal defibrillator
  • Hypoplastic left heart
  • Hypoplastic right heart
  • Heart Transplant: Prior to surgery, complications with surgery, or rejections
  • ICD (internal defibrillator)
  • Moyamoya disease
  • Tetralogy of Fallot, dependent on complications
  • Eisenmenger syndrome

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Chronic diseases that do not lead to a limitation of life expectancy are not eligible.

Dermatology

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • Systemic scleroderma
  • Junctional epidermolysis bullosa(major blistering disease): severe form that can lead to a reduction in life expectancy

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa
  • Epidermolysis bullosa (large blister disease): mild form that does not lead to a limitation of life expectancy
  • Chronic diseases that do not lead to a limitation of life expectancy are not eligible.

Gastrointestinal

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • Severe short bowel syndrome
  • Liver, pancreas and bowel transplants: Prior to surgery, complications with surgery, or rejections
  • Congenital biliary atresia
  • End stage liver failure, post infectious toxic or vascular
  • Crohn’s disease. Only eligible if the child has experienced emergency or long term hospitalisation

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Chronic diseases that do not lead to a limitation of life expectancy are not eligible.

Genetic

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • Alexander disease
  • ARC syndrome
  • DiGeorge syndrome
  • Barth syndrome
  • Chromosomal disorders that can lead to a reduction in life expectancy

Congenital anomaly, chromosomal, or single gene condition with associated life-threatening complications such as:

  • Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) and 18 (Edwards syndrome)
  • Intractable seizures
  • Structural upper airway abnormalities or chronic pulmonary symptoms
  • Heart anomalies meeting cardiology guidance
  • Chronic renal failure
  • Associated major gastrointestinal dysfunctions
  • Skeletal dysplasias or dysostoses with chronic or degenerative pulmonary complications

Haematology

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • Progressive diseases where there is a real threat of treatment by chemo or bone marrow transplantation
  • Bone marrow transplants: Prior to surgery, complications with surgery, or rejections
  • Thalassaemia major
  • MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndrome)
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Chronic congenital hypoplastic anaemia
  • Aplastic anaemia (Fanconi’s & idiopathic)
  • Severe agranulocytosis

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Chronic diseases that do not lead to a limitation of life expectancy are not eligible

Immunodeficiency

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • Immune deficiency if bone marrow transplantation is necessary
  • Bone marrow transplants: Prior to surgery, complications with surgery, or rejections
  • Auto-inflammatory conditions (eg S-JIA) if these cannot be controlled with regular medication
  • Juvenile dermatomyositis provided that it can lead to a limitation of life expectancy
  • Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) if it can lead to a limitation of life expectancy
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) if it can lead to a reduction in life expectancy
  • Systemic scleroderma
  • Vasculitis, if it is a form that can lead to a reduction in life expectancy
  • Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
  • Congenital immune deficiencies requiring bone marrow transplant causing reduction in life expectancy

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Auto-inflammatory disorders responding well to regular medication
  • Transient forms of vasculitis, e.g. 'Henoch-Schönlein and Kawasaki
  • Chronic diseases that do not lead to a limitation of life expectancy are not eligible.

Renal

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • End stage renal failure
  • Long-term dialysis
  • Kidney transplants: Prior to surgery, complications with surgery, or rejections

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Short term dialysis
  • Chronic diseases that do not lead to a limitation of life expectancy are not eligible

Neurology

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • Progressive or degenerative neurological disorders
  • Progressive or degenerative myopathy
  • Congenital muscular dystrophy
  • Duchenne muscular dystrophy
  • Epilepsy, if there is an indication for epilepsy surgery and / or if there are frequent major seizures despite drug treatment.
  • Leigh syndrome
  • Lennox Gastaut syndrome
  • Dravet syndrome
  • Myoclonic encephalopathy
  • Rett syndrome
  • Ataxia telangiectasia
  • Friedreichs ataxia
  • Malignant brain tumours
  • Aicardi syndrome
  • Batten disease
  • Cerebral palsy - if a child has an unsafe swallow, is gastrostomy fed or who has experienced chest infections that have lead to regular hospitalisations
  • Spinal muscular atrophy type 1 & 2

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Spina bifida (without complications that limit life expectancy)
  • Chronic diseases that do not lead to a limitation of life expectancy are not eligible.
  • Autism
  • Global developmental delay
  • Mental health conditions
  • Spinal muscular atrophy type 3

Oncology

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • All oncology, if pending or registered within 5 years after the last treatment
  • Bone marrow transplants: Prior to surgery, complications with surgery, or rejections
  • Malignant bone tumours & soft tissue sarcomas
  • Non - Hodgkins lymphoma
  • Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • Metastatic solid tumours
  • Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
  • Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
  • Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)
  • Malignant bone tumours
  • Soft tissue sarcomas
  • Wilms tumour
  • Brainstem tumours
  • Malignant brain tumours

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Oncological patients longer than 5 years after the last treatment

Lung disease

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • Complicated, severe bronchiectasis
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Lung transplants: Prior to surgery, complications with surgery, or rejections
  • Any chronic lung disease which is likely to reduce life expectancy

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Asthma

Metabolic diseases

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • Progressive metabolic disease if it can lead to a reduction in life expectancy
  • Cystinosis
  • Hunter syndrome
  • Hurler syndrome
  • Sanfilippo's syndrome
  • Systemic sclerosis
  • Neimann-pick disease
  • Gaucher’s disease
  • Any with severe progressive neurological involvement

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Metabolic diseases that are not progressive and do not limit life expectancy
  • Chronic diseases that do not lead to a limitation of life expectancy are not eligible
  • Type 1 diabetes

Transplant

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • Transplant patients (except skin and corneal transplant)
  • Bone marrow and stem cell transplants: Prior to surgery, complications with surgery, or rejections

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Skin and corneal transplantation

Miscellaneous

These illnesses are eligible for a wish

  • Children with a condition that can lead to a limitation of life expectancy, for example:
  • 24 hour ventilation
  • ICD

These illnesses are NOT eligible for a wish

  • Allergy that may involve an anaphylactic reaction
  • Chronic diseases that do not lead to a limitation of life expectancy are not eligible

Apply for a wish

If a child has been diagnosed with multiple conditions, or has a condition that is not listed above, they may still be eligible for a wish.

If you're supporting a child or young adult who is in need of a wish as soon as possible or you have any questions in regard to whether a condition qualifies for a wish, please contact contact our Referrals team on 0118 304 3368 or by email to referrals@makeawish.org.uk.

Useful resources

Choosing your wish

If you could wish for anything, what would it be? Take a look at some of the wishes we're able to grant.

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The wish journey

Find out more about the journey, from initial referral to the long-term impact of a wish.

The journey

How wishes help

A wish can have a long-lasting positive impact, not only on the child, but also on their family.

How wishes help