Make-A-Wish America

Nia traded hospital walls for ocean waves, and a quiet room for the warm sun on her face. 💙 Her wish? High tea on the beach: a simple dream that became a day full of laughter, running along the shore, sweet tea and delicate treats. For Nia, who spends long days battling a rare disease, it was more than a wish, it was a reminder that life beyond illness is possible and joy is still waiting to be savored. 🫖🏖️ This Rare Disease Day, we honor the courage and resilience of wish kids like Nia, whose smiles light up the world. You can help make more wishes like hers come true: wish.org/donate

Wish kid Andrew journeyed to New Zealand and experienced the penguin adventure he’d always imagined. He learned from penguin experts, visited wildlife at The Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance (The OPERA), set sail to spot penguins fishing and ended the day watching them waddle home to feed their babies. 🐧🌅 He said it best: “You can’t get better than seeing a penguin in the wild!” Because of our incredible partners at Chase, more than 800 wishes and 3,500 flights have helped wish kids see the world in new ways. ✈️✨ Thank you, Chase, for opening the world to wish kids like Andrew. 💙

Camille wished big – and walked away with a shopping spree to remember. 👟✨ From trying on fresh styles to stepping out in brand new kicks, her day was pure joy from start to finish! Moments like these turn everyday shopping into meaningful moments. Now through February 28, round up your purchase at Shoe Carnival, Inc. or Shoe Station to support local Make-A-Wish chapters. Every contribution helps grant wishes that uplift, empower and transform the lives of wish kids and their families. 💙 Make-A-Wish Alabama

Here’s to the friends, flights and feathers that make wishes unforgettable! A year ago, Brynn swapped her birdwatching notebook for a plane ticket… and thanks to Chase, Hawaii became her playground. 🦜✈️🌺 Brynn’s wish took flight in the Sapphire Lounge at JFK, and after that, every moment underneath the Hawaiian sky was pure magic: new birds, new beaches, new memories. 💙 These images capture just a glimpse of that magic, but what it doesn’t show is the lasting impact partnerships like this make possible. We’re incredibly grateful to Chase for helping wishes soar, not just by supporting them, but by lifting them high into the sky. ✨ Check out this clip from Good Morning America about Brynn’s adventure: https://lnkd.in/grJqFV5u

Meet Avery: a wish alum who continues to Wish-It-Forward nearly 15 years after her own wish. 💙 She shares her story: “Make-A-Wish is important because it allows you to be a kid and to experience anything that you want to experience outside the hospital. If you just make one wish come true, you’re making a ton of other wishes come true [because] that one person is going to go on to help a lot of other children like them; that’s what my goal is.” 💫 This Random Acts of Kindness Day, follow Avery’s lead and see how you can get involved to help make wishes come true: wish.org/get-involved

This Super Bowl, joy is the MVP and hope is on the scoreboard. 💙🏈 24 wish kids and their families kicked off the National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl LX week at Topgolf with a welcome party full of high-fives, smiles that could light up stadiums, big laughs and memories that feel like championship moments. Through the support of our incredible partners Fanatics and Topgolf, these families are experiencing a week that goes far beyond the game. Together, we’re creating meaningful moments and lifelong memories on and off the field.  The celebration has just begun! ✨

The Starblazer Awards honor wish alumni who embody the power of hope and give back in meaningful ways. Danielle Burns' story reminds us that a wish can ignite a lifetime of possibility. 💫 Danielle’s wish brought hope, strength, and joy during a challenging time. Granted in 2019, her wish to build a well in Africa was bigger than herself: it provided hope to an entire community in Uganda. That moment of possibility not only lifted her spirits during treatment but inspired a lifelong passion for giving back. 💙 Today, Danielle serves on a nonprofit board, supports children in Uganda and works with therapeutic camps to spread joy, hope and opportunity just as her wish gave her. We’re proud to honor her as the recipient of The Olivia Colleen Starblazer Award in our inaugural 2025 Starblazer Awards, celebrating wish alumni who make lasting, positive change in their communities. A heartfelt thank you to Jim and Colleen Clark for their generous support in making this honor possible. Your leadership helps shine a light on the incredible impact of our wish alumni. ✨ Make-A-Wish® Connecticut

On World Cancer Day, we celebrate the courage of wish kids like Elaina. 💙 Seven-year-old Elaina faced cancer, vision and hair loss at only 6 months old, but her courage never faded. As her hair grew back, Elaina noticed it was thick and curly – just like her favorite Disney character, Moana. Elaina found a special connection to Moana, and their matching curls became a symbol of resilience, inspiring her heartfelt wish: to meet Moana at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. 🌺 Her wish brought her unforgettable joy, new friendships and the confidence to experience life beyond her critical illness. Now, Elaina mentors her peers, hoping to show them that their own challenges can become sources of strength. “This trip changed her and her outlook on everything in life. After this wish, her self-esteem has just skyrocketed. She views her differences as her superpower.” – Cony, Elaina’s mom Thank you, The Walt Disney Company for helping make incredible wishes like Elaina’s come true! #DisneyWishes wish.org/Disney Make-A-Wish Wyoming

When leadership meets mission, magic happens. Congratulations to our National Board member, Josh D'Amaro, on being named the next CEO of The Walt Disney Company.

Manny was born with half a heart and has faced three open-heart surgeries, yet his imagination has always reached far beyond hospital walls. His wish was simple and fearless: to touch the moon. Thanks to Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington, Manny traveled to the Kennedy Space Center, met an astronaut and watched a rocket ignite the sky – bringing his dream closer than ever. 🚀 “One of my favorite things was seeing a rocket launch,” Manny said. “It lit up the ocean, and when it took off, it looked so good. That was my luckiest day ever.” This National Heart Month, we celebrate children like Manny, whose courage and imagination continue to soar in the face of critical illness. 💙 Help turn more wishes into unforgettable milestones: wish.org/donate