2. In1985,two Australians heard a speech that
changed their lives. Since that time, Make-A-
Wish Australia has granted almost 7000 wishes
to Australian children with a life threatening
medical conditions.
3. The purpose of the Make-A-Wish foundation is
to grant the wishes of children with life-
threatening medical conditions by enriching
the human experience with hope, strength
and joy.
VISSION STATEMENT: All Australian have the
opportunity to share the power of a wish.
“A swift mission and transcendent experience is the journey the Make-A-
Wish Foundation takes into a child's deepest desire and dream. For
truly, to grant a wish is not only to unwrap the gift of a dream, but also
to grant inspiration and hope in the midst of their reality”.
– Veronica, wish mom
4. The volunteer branches and supporters host a
number of events throughout the year, raising
much needed funds for Make-A-Wish Australia.
To be eligible to become a Make-A-Wish
Australia volunteer you must be 18 years or
older.
All volunteers are required to pass a National
Police Check and, in some states, a Working
with Children Check. Each volunteer Branch also
conducts an interview and undertakes reference
checks as part of the recruitment process.
5. Make-A-Wish has 58 volunteer branches across
the country, creating a nationwide network.
Make-A-Wish volunteers come from all walks of
life and range in age from 18 to 85. Whatever
the age and wherever they come from they all
come together with the same common goal – to
provide magical wishes to children with a life-
threatening illness.
Their volunteer branches and supporters host a
number of events throughout the year, raising
much needed funds for Make-A-Wish® Australia.
Select your state below to find events in your
local area.
6. The CEO of Make-A-Wish is Vici Funnell.
WORK LIFE:
Vici Funnell is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Make-A-Wish
Foundation Australia. Previously, Vici was the CEO of Scope (Vic)
Ltd, formally known as the Spastic Society of Victoria (SSOV). Vici has 25
years experience as a CEO in health and community services, and has
currently been the CEO of Make-A-Wish Foundation for 1 year. Along with
this role, she is also the director of the Epilepsy Foundation of
Victoria, an member of the Harvard Club of Australia and also a member
of the Box Hill Central Rotary Club. Vici was awarded the inaugural
Harvard Club Non-Profit Fellowship to study Non-Profit Management in
June 2001. At Harvard Business School Vici was awarded a Centenary
Medal for services to the community through people with a disability.
PRIVATE LIFE:
Vici is married to Steve whom they have 2 young adult children, William
and Caitlin. Vici and Steve own and operate a boutique vineyard “Hat
Rock” on the Bellarine Peninsula, around 20 minutes from Geelong. In the
little spare time she has, Vivi enjoys gardening, reading and cooking. Her
favourite place to visit is the Scottish Highlands.
7. By making a regular monthly donation to Make-
A-Wish Australia you join an exceptional group
of people called Wish Makers. Wish Makers are
very important as they continue to create
happiness for children with a life-threatening
medical condition, by granting their most
cherished wishes. The Wish Makers program
provides a stable source of income to Make-A-
Wish which means they‟re able to better plan
for future wishes.
Organised Fundraisers by anyone in the
community who wants to be involved.
They rely on people in the community to
donate online or through their “in Celebration”
and “Wills and Bequests” programs.
They also allow people to become a corporate
supporter through sponsorship or by an
organizing payroll giving i.e. Volunteering with
one of the local branches.
8. They have offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and
our National Office is in Richmond, Melbourne.
However, the Make-A-Wish Foundation was
founded in the US, so there are more current
branches located in the US.
In 1993, Make-A-Wish Foundation International
was officially formed to serve the five countries
outside the United States that were already
granting wishes. Today, Make-A-Wish Foundation
International has affiliates in more than 36
countries on five continents.
9. How they grant wishes?
There are four steps to granting a wish. Each step is designed to create wonderful
experience for families and kids. A wish experience is frequently a source of
inspiration for children undergoing difficult medical treatments and a positive force
that helps them overcome their obstacles. A wish experience that helps kids rekindle
their belief in themselves and the promise of their future.
Step 1: Referral
The Foundation relies on medical professionals, parents and children themselves for
referrals. Children who have reached the age of 2½ and are under the age of 18, and
are not part of another foundation are eligible for a wish.
Step 2: Medical eligibility
The Foundation determines a child‟s medical eligibility with the help of the treating
physician. To receive a wish, the child must be diagnosed with a life-threatening
medical condition – i.e., a progressive, degenerative or malignant condition that has
placed the child‟s life in jeopardy.
Step 3: Finding the true wish
The Foundation will then send one of their enthusiastic wish teams to learn the child‟s
one true wish.
Step 4: Creating joy
The Foundation‟s wish granters create an unforgettable experience driven by the
child‟s creativity. It‟s an incredible experience that enriches the lives of the children
and their families.
10. This is a wish story about a girl called Mia who was diagnosed with
Leukaemia. Her one wish was to [at a Dolphin and with the help
of the Make-A-Wish foundation her wish came true.
From Mia's mum, Renae
“On the plane ride home we asked the kids what had been the best part
of our seven-day Gold Coast escape and, without hesitation, all three
responded „The wish‟. Despite the terrible weather that soaked us and
turned us blue with cold, the granting of Mia‟s wish was amazing and felt
like closure on the hard times cancer had brought us all. It marked a new
start for our beautiful daughter and the whole family.” Renae, mother of
wish child Mia.
Speaking to Renae you would never believe what she, her husband, Nick
and their young family have been through in recent years. Her upbeat
and positive attitude shines through despite the run of bad luck her close
family has faced.
“It all started with the passing of my aunt to stomach cancer, then a few
weeks later my 16-year-old cousin, Braidy, died of bone cancer.
Then, the week before Christmas and just six weeks after Braidy‟s
passing, we sat devastated in the same hospital, paralysed by the news
that our three-year-old daughter had been diagnosed with leukaemia,”
remembers Renae.
It was hard for this young family to stay positive, particularly for Mia‟s
older brother, Tate. He struggled to believe things would be okay after
watching their close relatives succumb so recently to other forms of
cancer.
Mia struggled during her treatment and the only thing that calmed her
before chemotherapy was to lie in her mother‟s arms and talk about
seeing dolphins when she was better. Throughout Mia‟s entire course of
treatment, this dream is what helped her. When Make-A-Wish let the
family know this would actually happen, Renae felt a real shift in the
family‟s mood.
In the week following Mia‟s last chemotherapy session, the family was
sent on a seven-day escape to the Gold Coast so that Mia could
experience her long-cherished wish. “Mia talked about patting and
feeding dolphins as a way of coping with chemotherapy treatment, so it
seemed so right that once she finished all that medicine she could take
part in such a magical experience. Our whole family has been with her
throughout it all, so it was great for us all to see her wish come true.
This wish meant everything to Mia and our family,” said Renae.
Like many families in this situation, Renae and Nick were unaware that
Make-A-Wish was there to help. They hope that by sharing their story
others will benefit the way they did. Nick said, “The wish helped us all so
much. It gave us a relaxing time to be a family together again, something
we missed out on over the last three years. I will never forget how happy
our kids were on Mia‟s wish, so thank you Make-A-Wish for helping us to
regroup and enjoy time together.”
