Refer a child for a wish
Wishes are as unique as the children themselves and whether a child wants to be a fireman, meet a real-life mermaid or even the Loch Ness Monster, we work hard to make that wish come true.
Apply for a magical wish
**Urgent wishes (under 12 month prognosis)**
At present, we are only able to accept referrals from medical professionals for children/young people with a prognosis of under 12 months. You will need permission from the parent/guardian before applying and the child/young person must meet our eligibility criteria in order for us to consider them for a wish.
Once you have submitted the referral, we will be in touch with you to confirm the medical condition/prognosis and next steps.
*Please note – if at any point we are made aware the prognosis does not fall under 12 months, we will have to close the application on our system.
Refer an urgent wishTemporary Pause on Accepting New Wish Applications – Except Urgent Wishes
Due to a high volume of ongoing wish applications, we are currently pausing our acceptance of new referrals/wish applications. This allows us to dedicate our full attention to fulfilling the wishes already in our pipeline and ensuring each child receives the magical experience they deserve.
We apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. We are committed and working hard to make sure we can accept new applications as soon as possible, please do come back to our website at a later date for more updates.
**Please note** Due to the cost-of-living crisis and the general increase in travel prices, Rays of Sunshine are currently closed to new requests for international travel wishes to long haul destinations, holidays to Disney Florida or Disneyland Paris, European holidays and trips to Lapland. We cannot guarantee when or if we’ll be re-opening to these kinds of wishes, but still have lots of exciting and personalised options to make your child’s wish truly magical.
Refer an urgent wish
Who can apply for a wish?
For a child to be eligible to have a wish granted by Rays of Sunshine, the child must:
1. Currently living with a serious or life-limiting illness
2. Aged between three and 18 years of age*
3. Be a UK resident
4. Not had a previous wish from Rays of Sunshine or another wish granting charity
*Applications will be accepted until the day before the child's 18th birthday
How to apply for a wish
All wish applications are assessed on the child's individual circumstances and the medical information provided on the form. We work closely with our team of professional medical advisors to ensure the wish is suitable for the child.
We cannot guarantee what type of wish can be granted upon application and encourage you to put down three different types of special wishes.
What can i wish for?
We categorise our wishes into different ‘wish types’ – to go, to meet, to be, to have and at-home experiences. Our experienced Wish Granters will work with the child and their family to determine the type of wish that can be granted and how best to deliver the experience.
What is the wish journey?
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A medical professional refers a child for a wish
We accept referrals from medical professionals online with the parent’s permission.
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Wish Application
If a child is referred by a medical professional, the family will be sent a link to complete the application.
We will also be reaching out to the child’s medical professional to complete our medical form.
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Application review
Your application will be reviewed to see if it matches our eligibility criteria. We will let you know if your child has been accepted for a wish.
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Wish Excitement
If you’re eligible for a wish, the excitement can begin building. Our wish granters will tailor your wish to your needs making the day as perfect as it can be.
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Wish Day
The magical day is here! Make special memories together for the whole family.
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Beyond the Wish
From the moment the wish is granted, you become part of our wish community. This means you are invited to join in any of the events which take place throughout the year – across the UK and online.
