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Make-A-Wish was founded in Phoenix, Arizona in 1980. It all started with a single wish when a group of caring volunteers helped a 7-year-old boy with leukemia named Christopher James Greicius fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer. His mother, several friends and a group of police officers, with the cooperation of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, granted his wish with a custom-made uniform, helmet, badge, and helicopter ride! His wish was granted and he experienced hope, strength, and joy during his battle with cancer. After the wish, those involved were inspired and eager to bring that same hope, strength, and joy they saw as a result of Chris’s wish to more children. And so, the Make-A-Wish Foundation was born.

                                                August saw the bach for the very first time. 

In 1993, Make-A-Wish International was officially formed to serve five countries outside the U.S. - and now helps to serve children outside the United States in more than 50 countries on five continents through its 41 affiliates. Make-A-Wish Thailand, established in 2012, is an affiliate of Make-A-Wish International. With the help of generous donors and over 40,000 volunteers in more than 50 countries, Make-A-Wish, one of the world’s leading children’s charities, has granted nearly 450,000 wishes worldwide since 1980.

In 2015, Make-A-Wish Israel conducted a study to measure how wish-granting experiences influence medical outcomes of children with critical illnesses. The
results revealed wishes not only increased hope, but they also improved the children’s physical and emotional health. The wishes made the impossible, possible –
helping children replace fear with confidence, sadness with joy and anxiety with hope. A wish is something that gives kids the opportunity to look outside their
illnesses- it restores a sense of childhood back to the child and normalcy back to the family. “It is possible that wishing enabled these children to dream about that
seemed unobtainable, out of reach, and thus created an experience of achieving the impossible” researchers wrote.

                                                 Belle was inspired by meeting Toon Bodyslam.                     

Research shows, and physicians agree, wishes can help improve a child’s quality of life and produce better health outcomes. And if the impossible can happen once,
kids can believe in their ability to live with or even overcome their illnesses.Make-A-Wish grants wishes to positively impact long-term health results.

The following are just a few of the children that Make-A-Wish Thailand has touched by granting their wishes:

• Belle, 16, suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, met famous Thai rock star, Toon Bodyslam, giving Belle courage to fight her critical illness and pursue her dream of becoming a doctor.

• Tee, 9, suffering from heart disease and pulmonary hypertension, wanted to go to Dreamworld; his dream came true, giving Tee strength to keep battling his disease.

• August, 4, suffering from neuroblastoma, wanted to go to the beach, and see the sea for the very first time. She said it was the best trip she’d ever been on.

• Belle, 5, suffering from an extrarenal rhabdoid tumor, wanted to see snow and her dream came true when she went to Snow Town at Dreamworld. “I love being in the cold air so much!” she said.

• View, 14, suffering from juvenile dermatomyositis, wanted to go to Mae Hong Son to see the spectacular mountain view and to feel the cold weather up in the mountain,
and her trip was everything she hoped it would be.

Many of these dreams aren’t very expensive and can be arranged for Bt30,000 or less, including in-kind donations. They include pony-riding and entering a singing
contest. But it is imperative that the doctors caring for the children must agree to the wish.

Molchaya Techapaibul is the CEO of Make-A-Wish Thailand. She’s putting her heart and soul into this endeavor, but she needs our help.

                                                 Bell had a chance to experience cold air, ice, and snow..  

Khun Molchaya stresses that while it is true that some of the children have terminal diseases and won’t get better, many of the children though sick have a
very good chance at recovery and realizing their dreams and wishes gives them the courage and inspiration to keep fighting. Molchaya and her three staff members try
to grant five wishes a month.

But how does Make-A-Wish choose the children it decides to help? Make-A-Wish accepts referrals from children being treated for a critical illness; medical
professionals (typically a doctor, nurse, social worker or child-life specialist); parents or legal guardians and family members with detailed knowledge of the
child’s current medical condition.

                                                 Tee's dream came true when he was able to Dream World. 

To be eligible, children must meet these criteria at the time of referral: be diagnosed with a critical illness, e.g., a progressive, degenerative or malignant
condition that is placing the child’s life in jeopardy; be between 3 and 18 years old, and have not received a wish from another wish-granting organization.

If you want to adopt a wish or volunteer (and Make-A-Wish needs volunteers) contact Molchaya (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) as you will need to be vetted
to make sure you can help because some of the children’s wishes are very serious and sensitivity is needed. Thai-language skills are an asset, but not essential as
there are many things you can do to help including staging fundraising drives and assisting in making wishes come true. In Singapore, some companies have even
taken to adopting wishes themselves.

                                                 View got her wish to visit Mae Hong Son.