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Make-A-Wish CEO Says Only Vaccinated Sick Kids To Get Wishes With Air Travel, Large Gatherings

   DailyWire.com
Covid-19 vaccine. Vaccine and syringe for injection
Larisa Bozhikova via Getty Images

After a pandemic-pause, Make-A-Wish America will resume granting wishes that include air travel and “large gatherings” starting in September 2021 — but only if the sick “Wish kid” and others participating in the wish are two weeks out from vaccination.

“I’m excited to share that Make-A-Wish will resume granting air travel wishes within the United States and its territories, as well as granting wishes involving large gatherings, for vaccinated Wish families as soon as September 15, 2021,” announced Make-A-Wish President and CEO Richard Davis in a recent video. “All Wish participants, including your Wish kid and any siblings, will need to be two-weeks past completion of either a one-dose or a two-dose vaccine.”

Make-A-Wish is a popular nonprofit organization that seeks to grant critically sick children, including the terminally ill, life-changing experiences dubbed “wishes.” Sometimes celebrities or sports figures participate, such as by visiting Wish kids in person.

“A wish experience can be a game-changer for a child with a critical illness,” the organization outlines under its “mission” section of its website. “This one belief guides us in everything we do at Make-A-Wish. It inspires us to grant life-changing wishes for children going through so much. It compels us to be creative in exceeding the expectations of every wish kid. It drives us to make our donated resources go as far as possible. Most of all, it’s the founding principle of our vision to grant the wish of every eligible child.”

The organization has been active but limited during the COVID pandemic.

“Over the past year, we’ve spent each day at Make-A-Wish preparing for the moment when every possible wish could safely move forward,” Davis said in the video. “We’re approached this responsibility with a focus and diligence for your family’s health and safety.”

“Now, we’ve consulted with doctors and medical professionals throughout the national medical advisory council, and we’ve been monitoring public health organizations, like the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the American Academy of Pediatrics,” he continued. “And based on their collective guidance, today, were making a big step forward in delivering hope to you, our Wish kids and our Wish families.”

“I’m excited to share that Make-A-Wish will resume granting air travel wishes within the United States and its territories, as well as granting wishes involving large gatherings, for vaccinated Wish families as soon as September 15, 2021,” Davis said. “All Wish participants, including your Wish kid and any siblings, will need to be two-weeks past completion of either a one-dose or a two-dose vaccine.”

“While we won’t ask for proof of vaccination, we will ask for any adult participant to sign a letter of understanding that certifies that they, and any minors participating in the Wish, are vaccinated and understand the risks of traveling at this time,” the CEO added.

When asked for clarification and comment by The Daily Wire, Make-A-Wish sent a statement via email confirming that wishes which involve “air travel and large gatherings” will resume for “wish children and their families who have been vaccinated on September 15, 2021.”

“Make-A-Wish plans to resume granting wishes involving air travel and large gatherings for wish children and their families who have been vaccinated on September 15, 2021. We remain dedicated to granting a wish for all eligible children,” the statement said in part.

However, Make-A-Wish emphasized that the nonprofit has granted “6,500 wishes to wish children and families including those who are unvaccinated and vaccinated” since the pandemic started and “will not require anyone to get vaccinated to receive a wish.”

Make-A-Wish will not require anyone to get vaccinated to receive a wish and continues to grant life-changing wishes for all eligible children, including children who have not been vaccinated,” the nonprofit said Since the beginning of the pandemic, Make-A-Wish has safely granted over 6,500 wishes to wish children and families including those who are unvaccinated and vaccinated. We are currently granting and continue to grant a wide variety of wishes such as road trips to national parks, virtual celebrity meetings, outdoor playhouses, shopping sprees, staycations, wishes for pets, computers, room redecorations and many more, to bring hope and joy to all of the children we serve. Consistent with WHO, CDC and AAP guidance for children with underlying medical conditions, Make-A-Wish plans to resume granting wishes involving air travel and large gatherings for wish children and their families who have been vaccinated on September 15, 2021. We remain dedicated to granting a wish for all eligible children.

It’s unclear if there will be exceptions for sick children advised by medical professionals not to get the COVID vaccine.

WATCH:

View transcript below:

“Over the past year, we’ve spent each day at Make-A-Wish preparing for the moment when every possible wish could safely move forward. We’re approached this responsibility with a focus and diligence for your family’s health and safety. Now, we’ve consulted with doctors and medical professionals throughout the national medical advisory council, and we’ve been monitoring public health organizations, like the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the American Academy of Pediatrics. And based on their collective guidance, today, were making a big step forward in delivering hope to you, our Wish kids and our Wish families. I’m excited to share that Make-A-Wish will resume granting air travel wishes within the United States and its territories, as well as granting wishes involving large gatherings, for vaccinated Wish families as soon as September 15, 2021. All Wish participants, including your Wish kid and any siblings, will need to be two-weeks past completion of either a one-dose or a two-dose vaccine. While we won’t ask for proof of vaccination, we will ask for any adult participant to sign a letter of understanding that certifies that they, and any minors participating in the Wish, are vaccinated and understand the risks of traveling at this time.” 

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