Make-A-Wish is a global non-profit organization founded in the United States in 1980 with the mission of granting wishes to children and young aged 3 to 18 living with critical illnesses. For more than 45 years, the organization has mobilized volunteers, partners, and donors to deliver structured wish experiences aimed at supporting the well-being of children facing serious health conditions. Today, Make-A-Wish operates in more than 50 countries and territories and has granted over 650,000 wishes worldwide.

Established in 2003, Make-A-Wish Foundation Switzerland & Liechtenstein is part of the global network of Make-A-Wish International. Through its operational framework known as the Wish Journey, the foundation accompanies children and their families throughout the entire process, from identifying the child’s wish to its fulfilment and follow-up.

Each year, approximately 800 children and adolescents in Switzerland and Liechtenstein are diagnosed with a critical, often life-threatening illness. In this context, Make-A-Wish works to provide individualized wish experiences designed to support the psychological, emotional, and social well-being of participating children.

The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation (NaEPF) is providing three-year programme support to Make-A- Wish Foundation Switzerland & Liechtenstein, contributing to the expansion of the foundation’s activities and enabling a larger number of children to benefit from the programme. Through the Wish Journey model, the initiative seeks to strengthen the well-being and resilience of seriously ill children and their families, acknowledging the relationship between psychological and physical health.

The Wish Journey is organized into several sequential stages designed to maximize the positive impact of the experience. The process begins with wish discovery, during which a trained volunteer meets with the child and their family to identify the child’s aspirations while considering medical and logistical constraints. This is followed by the design phase, in which the Make-A-Wish team develops a personalized experience tailored to the child’s interests and circumstances. A preparation and anticipation phase accompanies the planning of the wish, supporting the child through activities that encourage engagement and positive expectation. The process culminates in the wish fulfilment, when the experience is realized with the participation of the child, their family, and the Make-A-Wish team. The programme also considers the post- wish phase, during which the experience can contribute to positive memories, strengthened family relationships, and improved emotional well-being.

The support of the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation contributes to the continued development and evaluation of wish-based experiences as a form of complementary psychosocial support, strengthening children’s psychological well-being and resilience while generating evidence to inform future programme design and implementation.