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Hope is essential for wish kids and their families. For many wish kids, hospital stays, doctor’s visits and treatments have become their “new normal.” They experience extreme emotional challenges every day, but a spark of hope can change everything. That hope can be found in a wish. Wishes like Elias’.
Elias Schweitzer, who is 5 years old, is like a lot of 5-year-olds. He loves to play outside, swing, ride his scooter, play with Legos®, swim, fish and play soccer. However, unlike most 5-year-olds, Elias is battling Retinoblastoma, a type of eye cancer.
Once Elias learned he would be receiving a wish, he decided he wanted to go to Walt Disney World® Resort, specifically to meet Mr. Incredible from “The Incredibles” movie. Elias LOVES “The Incredibles!”
Elias and his family will spend 7 days exploring Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, FL, as well as other parks and attractions in the area. It will be an amazing time for Elias and his family to spend together after everything he’s gone through. All wish expenses will be covered.
Make-A-Wish learns about wish kids through a referral process, which can be done at www.wish.org/refer-a-child. Elias was referred to Make-A-Wish by his social worker and medical team at Children’s Colorado.
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of all eligible children who have reached the age of 2 1/2 but are younger than 18 at the time of the referral. Wish kids are not necessarily terminal but have been diagnosed by a medical professional with a progressive, degenerative, or malignant condition that puts their life in jeopardy. Once the child’s diagnosis is approved by their physician, the family receives information to begin the wish process. Once approved, volunteer Wish Granters meet with the wish child to discover their wish. Once discovered, the team begins planning to bring the wish to life.
