By Sixtine Tabard - Reading time 3 minsHope is essential for children with critical illnesses – especially when so much of life becomes centered around hospitals, treatments, and waiting rooms. For a child facing a critical illness, hope isn’t abstract. It’s something tangible to hold onto.
A wish can provide that sense of possibility. It gives a child something to look forward to at a time when options can feel limited. While a wish doesn’t change a diagnosis, it can change how a child sees themselves and their situation – and that shift can have a powerful emotional impact.
The psychological impact of having a wish granted
Make‑A‑Wish International’s Global Theory of Change research is grounded in insights from hundreds of wish children and families across countries around the world. The research shows that a wish is an essential element of a child’s well‑being pathway, contributing to emotional resilience, reduced distress, and improved quality of life for children with critical illnesses and their families. By capturing lived experiences across diverse cultures and health systems, the research identifies outcomes that are consistent and lasting – reinforcing the role of wishes well beyond treatment.
Wider research reinforces that hope and positive anticipation play an important role in how children cope with illness. A study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology showed that positive anticipation can help regulate stress responses, including lowering levels of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone. Research in the Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings has also shown that children who report higher levels of hope tend to cope better during treatment.
Looking ahead to a wish helps shift a child’s focus away from fear and uncertainty and toward something meaningful and uplifting. That shift can strengthen emotional resilience – an important resource for children navigating long, demanding treatment journeys.
What research tells us about positive emotional support
Research in positive psychology supports these findings. Studies published in Child Indicators Research and Psychology of Well‑Being show that joy‑ and hope‑based interventions can improve emotional well‑being, reduce anxiety, and strengthen resilience in children. Together, this research reinforces what Make‑A‑Wish International’s Theory of Change demonstrates – that nurturing positive emotions is a meaningful part of supporting children facing critical illness.
Hope and resilience: building long-term benefits
Hope gives children something to hold on to long after a wish, children often carry the confidence that comes from an experience focused on who they are, not what they are going through.
That sense of possibility can help shape how they face future challenges. It reminds them they’re more than their illness. That belief can foster resilience – a strength that supports them well beyond treatment.
How wish experiences affect family members
A child’s critical illness affects the entire family. Our research shows that daily routines are disrupted, emotional strain is constant, and siblings can feel sidelined as parents focus on treatment and care.
Our research demonstrates that wish experiences can help strengthen family bonding at a time of significant pressure. Based on insights from hundreds of wish families worldwide, the research shows that a wish creates space for families to reconnect around something positive, shifting focus away from illness.
Families often describe how a wish brings them together through shared anticipation and joy. Siblings feel re‑included, not as bystanders to illness, but as part of an experience centered on togetherness. Granted wishes can support longer‑term family resilience, closeness, and emotional strength well beyond the wish itself.
The importance of joy in pediatric care
Joy isn’t a luxury for children facing critical illness. Feeling seen, celebrated, and supported helps reduce stress, build confidence, and strengthen family bonds. Wishes don’t replace medical treatment, but they complement it by supporting emotional well‑being alongside physical care.
Help grant wishes that spark joy, build strength and give families hope. Join us in bringing the power of a wish to children facing critical illness and get involved.