Little Wishes grants the immediate and ongoing wishes of chronically and critically ill, hospitalized children.
Little Wishes™ makes a big difference for seriously ill, hospitalized children facing difficult journeys. A non-profit founded by two pediatric oncology/PICU nurses in 2003, Little Wishes helps prevent patients from losing their identity to illness by tapping into their passions. Young patients may identify what makes them happy and wish for something that will fill their hearts and brighten their darkest days. What makes Little Wishes unique is that a patient may wish for something every two weeks giving them a positive event to look forward to. Some children spend hours searching online for their wish, providing a sense of control and healing distraction from pain. Receiving wishes also helps little patients replace anxiety and fear with hope and joy. All wishes take place in the hospital and are delivered with fanfare by hospital staff. Milestones spent in the hospital are also celebrated including birthdays, graduations, and completion of treatment, creating a sense of community. In addition, Little Wishes provides comfort in a child's final days surrounding them with their most cherished belongings and providing memory making kits and keepsake lockets for the family to hold on to forever. Little Wishes has granted over 25,000 wishes to date. Little Wishes is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization Federal Tax ID 52-2386886
11/08/2025
Little did she know, a birthday surprise was waiting just for her…
and no way would we let cancer take this moment. After weeks in the hospital and procedures no teen should ever face, Brianna finally got to celebrate turning 15 Highland Cow style. 💚music by
11/04/2025
Little Emma is holding on to every last drop of Halloween💚🥹
11/02/2025
From patient to princess… in one Little Wish. ✨💚
11/01/2025
"Little Wishes" serves 46 hospitals across 26 states, including Presbyterian Hospital. Ethan became the first in New Mexico to receive a wish from them. ⤵ Full story in comments.
10/30/2025
After weeks in the hospital fighting cancer came a Halloween wish. A party for Joshua complete with surprises, treats, and the cutest little Chase you’ve ever seen. Because no way we wouldn’t let cancer cancel Halloween! music credit
10/27/2025
Fifty days in the hospital… and one surprise brought her to tears. After weeks of fighting to get stronger, Eliana was wheeled into her room to find it completely transformed for Halloween.
From Stitch pajamas and spooky décor to a cozy blanket and crafts, her Halloween Wish turned her hospital room into a place of joy. 💚 Special thanks to our
10/20/2025
One last chemo. One little wave that said everything.
After months of treatment for lymphoma, 7-year-old Arnulfo finally got to celebrate the end of chemo and his Little Wishes.💚
10/18/2025
6-year-old Fendi Marie spent nine days on ECMO fighting for her life.
Now she’s breathing on her own and her Little Wish brought back what every child deserves: moments of play, light, and joy.💚
10/17/2025
Regina and Nyssa are 8-year-old twins who share everything except hospital walls.
Regina is fighting cancer again, and during her bone marrow transplant, Nyssa couldn’t be there all the time.
Regina’s Little Wish? A pillow made to look just like her twin, so she could hold her even from miles away. 💚
10/12/2025
Right outside her ICU door, magic was waiting.
Three-year-old Kataleyah had just undergone a major heart surgery,
but she was determined to walk toward her little wish. Each tiny step a sign of courage
and joy that filled the whole room.
10/08/2025
Distraction is key during treatment for cancer. For Lola, that meant slime (one of our most popular Little Wishes) bringing comfort when she needed it most.💚
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Since 2003, Little Wishes has helped seriously ill, hospitalized children from losing their identity to illness by tapping into their passions. We encourage even the tiniest of patients to identify their happiest desire and wish for something that will fill their heart and brighten their darkest days.
Each wish, no matter how simple – a princess dress, Spiderman figure, book or a musical instrument – makes a huge difference by providing a welcome diversion and easing the discomfort of long hospitalizations and painful treatments.
All wishes are granted in the hospital and delivered with fanfare and song by hospital staff to celebrate the patient and build a supportive community. Nine-year-old cancer warrior Ryker said it best: “Little Wishes gives you that ‘we can get through this feeling’,” upon receiving his wish of a crab leg dinner to curb his chemo craving.
What makes our Little Wishes™ program unique (and why we keep the gifts little) is that a qualified child may make another wish 14 days after receiving their first little wish, and every 14 days thereafter. This is really meaningful for children who endure frequent hospitalizations or for a child who has been in the hospital for weeks or months, even years at a time.
Little Wishes has granted over 16,000 wishes in 22 hospitals in 12 states. Our current quest is to raise enough funds to keep on granting children’s wishes in perpetuity.
Your support will make a huge difference! Over 90 percent of every dollar donated goes directly to children's little wishes.
Founded by two pediatric oncology nurses in loving memory of a sweet eight-year-old Giants baseball fan named Josh.