How to apply for a wish

At present, we are only able to accept referrals from medical professionals for children/young people.

• If you are a parent or guardian, please speak to your medical professional about applying or register your interest in a wish.
• If you are medical professional – you will need permission from the parent/guardian before applying.

The child/young person must meet our eligibility criteria (read full medical criteria below) in order for us to consider them for a wish. If you have any more questions check out our frequently asked questions.

Refer a child for a wish

Medical conditions and their wish eligibility

Respiratory

✅ Eligible for a wish:

• Cystic Fibrosis – 3 to 9 years with severe complications, e.g., respiratory, or gastrointestinal or children aged 10+ years with associated complications
• Progressive Bronchiectasis
• Neuromuscular condition requiring home ventilation (depending on severity and impact on life)

 ⚠️ May be eligible (case-by-case):

• Tracheostomy (reviewed case-by-case)
• Asthma with other complex diagnoses (reviewed case-by-case)

❌ Not eligible for a wish

• Asthma (no other complex diagnoses)
• Chronic Respiratory Diseases that are not life-limiting or low morbidity

Gastrointestinal

✅ Eligible for a wish:

• Liver, Bowel or Pancreas Transplant (post-transplant, complications, rejections)
• Short Bowel Syndrome (age dependent) – on Home Parenteral Nutrition (PN)
• End Stage Liver failure
• Total Home Parenteral Nutrition (depending on the cause)

⚠️ May be eligible (case-by-case):

• Biliary Atresia (with associated liver transplant)
• Crohn’s Disease (with stoma or surgery planned)
• Ulcerative Colitis (with stoma or surgery planned)
• Anorectal Malformation (requiring surgery)

❌ Not eligible for a wish

• Crohn’s Disease (on single medical therapy)
• Ulcerative Colitis (on single drug therapy)

Metabolic/Endocrine 

✅ Eligible for a wish:

• Progressive/Inherited Metabolic Disease
• Mucopolysaccharidosis Diseases (Hurler Syndrome, Hunter Syndrome, Sanfillipo’s syndrome, Morquio and Scheie) – depending on severity and impact on life

⚠️ May be eligible (case-by-case):

• Type 1 Diabetes (with other physical complications)
• Hypopituitarism

❌ Not eligible for a wish

• Uncomplicated metabolic disease with a good outcome or prognosis
• Metabolic Diseases that are not life limiting or considered low morbidity
• Short Stature
• Type 1 Diabetes (without complications)

Cardiovascular 

✅ Eligible for a wish:

• Progressive Cardiomyopathy (pending or post-transplant)
• Cyanotic Heart Disease (inoperable or operable with complications)
• Hypoplastic Heart (left or right)
• Complex Congenital Heart Disease (isolated or part of syndrome)
• Tetralogy of Fallot (depending on severity and complications)

⚠️ May be eligible (case-by-case):

• Long QT Syndrome (on treatment or with complications, dysrhythmia, or arrhythmia disorders)
• Di George Syndrome (with complications)

❌ Not eligible for a wish

• Uncomplicated Ventricular Septal Defect
• Chronic Diseases that are not life limiting or considered low morbidity

Renal

✅ Eligible for a wish:

• End Stage renal Failure (requiring transplant or on long term dialysis)
• Kidney Transplant (post transplant, complications, rejections)

Neurology

✅ Eligible for a wish:

• Moyamoya (with surgery or surgery planned)
• Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD)
• Friedrich’s Ataxia (with complications)
• Primary Neurodegenerative Disorders (i.e. Battens Disease)
• Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
• Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 & 2 (SMA)
• Leigh’s Disease (depending on severity and impact on life)
• Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (depending on severity and impact on life)
• Dravet’s Syndrome (depending on severity and impact on life)
• Rett Syndrome (depending on severity and impact on life)
• Malignant Brain Tumours

⚠️ May be eligible (case-by-case):

• Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 3 (SMA)
• Neurofibromatosis – with complications related to tumours
• Cerebral Palsy (with severe impact on life, requires tube feeding, with associated conditions that would qualify)
• Complex Epilepsy with multi-drug therapy
• Spina Bifida (post-surgical repair without complications)
• Complex Epilepsy (demanding multi-drug therapy)
• Angelman’s Syndrome (requiring regular transfusions, with complications)

❌ Not eligible for a wish

• Spina Bifida (without complications or life limiting/morbidity)
• Epilepsy (well controlled, on medication)

Haematology & Immune System Disorders

✅ Eligible for a wish:

• Sickle Cell Anaemia (including SCD hydroxycarbamide but recurrent admissions, with stroke, requires bone marrow transplant, stem cell transplant, Transfusion programme for raised TCD, or other significant complications requiring recurrent hospital admissions)
• Thalassaemia Major (transfusion dependent)
• Haemophilia (requiring regular transfusions, with complications)
• Aplastic Anaemia
• Complex Vasculitis (with serious complications or impact on life, including Strokes and Sequelae)
• Bone Marrow Failure or Chemotherapy Treatment

⚠️ May be eligible (case-by-case):

• Evan’s Syndrome (with significant complications or impact on life)

❌ Not eligible for a wish

• Sickle Cell Anaemia (no significant complications, no hospital admissions)

Oncology 

✅ Eligible for a wish:

• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (standard and relapsed treatment)
• Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (standard and relapsed treatment)
• Neuroblastoma (all stages)
• Hepatoblastoma
• Brain Tumours
• Wilms Tumour (stage 1-2)
• Osteosarcoma
• Ewings Sarcoma
• Hodgkins Disease
• Rhabdomyosarcoma
• Relapsed Malignancy
• Spinal Tumours
• Retinoblastoma

Musculoskeletal 

✅ Eligible for a wish:

• Juvenile Arthritis (with multi-drug therapy)
• Whole Limb Amputation (arm/leg)

⚠️ May be eligible (case-by-case):

• Scoliosis (will consider very severe forms/part of wider condition/complications e.g. neurological, co-morbidities)

❌ Not eligible for a wish

• Juvenile Arthritis (without complications, monotherapy)
• Isolated Scoliosis

Neurodisability/Neurodiversity  

⚠️ May be eligible (case-by-case):

• Children with a Neurodisability/Neurodiversity who have a poor prognosis or outcome may be considered for a wish. Please refer to Neurology Section of our medical criteria

❌ Not eligible for a wish

• Primary Mental Health Disorders

Other Conditions

✅ Eligible for a wish:

• Epidermolysis Bullosa (dependent on type)
• Acquired Brain Injury (with subsequent complications or impact on life)

⚠️ May be eligible (case-by-case)

• Down Syndrome, with severe cardiac disease or complex heart disease/malignancy/gastrointestinal complications
• Stroke (dependent on causation)
• Wolfram Syndrome (dependent on severity of condition and accompanying complications)

❌ Not eligible for a wish

• Ehlers Danlos
• Down Syndrome (no cardiac disease)

Please note

All wish applications are assessed on their 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 therefore encourage the family to put down three different types of special wishes.

Refer a child for a wish

Any questions?

Contact our wish team at 020 8782 1171 or email wishes@raysofsunshine.org.uk