Little Wishes

Little Wishes We partner with children’s hospitals nationwide to grant personalized wishes that bring joy, comfort, and normalcy to seriously ill hospitalized children.

Follow along for inspiring stories, incredible kids, and the moments that make a BIG difference. 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 ide

ntify 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

09/05/2026

Part 2! 💚 This footage isn’t polished or professionally shot. It’s raw, real JOY happening inside hospital rooms. Every Little Wish is chosen by the child. Something that is completely theirs, in a place where so much isn’t. And these reactions say everything. So much love for the Child Life Specialists and medical teams across the country who make these moments happen. 💚💚💚

Two teens. Two long chemo stays. And a first we have been waiting for. 💚 Ava and Henry are both 14 and in treatment for ...
09/01/2026

Two teens. Two long chemo stays. And a first we have been waiting for. 💚 Ava and Henry are both 14 and in treatment for cancer. When so much revolves around treatment, Little Wishes starts with one simple question: What do YOU want? Cat-loving Ava chose a big cat LEGO set and wearable cat blanket for her 14th birthday. After 46 days in the hospital, Henry chose a wearable GoPro, a creative escape to make videos and capture his days. The wishes were chosen, and UCD Child Life facility dogs Paloma and Jerome took it from there, reporting for wish duty 🐾 and helping deliver the very first Little Wishes UC Davis Children's Hospital 💚💚💚

08/29/2026

A normal chemo day turned wonderfully quirky. 💚 Five-year-old Benjamin was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia and has been coming in for weekly chemo. Along the way, Sam from Maynard Canine Crew discovered his very specific love of door stoppers, so for his Little Wish, we hid 24 of them throughout the unit for the ultimate scavenger hunt. And his door-stopper obsession even follows him into treatment. When his port doesn’t want to give blood, Benjamin makes his perfect “boing” sound, and somehow, it works! Add in Scooby-Doo, a Cheetos backpack and a few more favorites, and this was a Little Wish that could only belong to Benjamin. 💚

08/23/2026

Cancer treatment took a sweet turn for 4-year-old Maverick when his Little Wish for an ice cream party came true.🍦Choosing flavors, piling on toppings, and sharing with his nurses turned a hospital day into something sweet. Making Little Wishes come true, one moment of joy at a time.💚

08/19/2026

3-year-old Julian is facing cancer for the second time. Quiet and tender, play is often how he expresses himself and finds comfort during long hospital stays. His Little Wishes were simple: dinosaurs, cars, and lots of play. His soft voice naming each new toy, that sweet smile as he took it all in, and for a little while, play was all that mattered. 💚

08/14/2026

There’s a reason this bell ringing feels twice as big. 💚 Wrenley has been through cancer twice. Just two months after finishing treatment for a Wilms tumor, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), beginning months of long hospital stays. She even learned how to walk while she was there. And today, surrounded by family, friends, and so much love, Wrenley rang the bell for the SECOND time. 🔔 Today was HER day, and we celebrated BIG with her Little Wishes. 💚 Maynard Children’s Hospital

08/12/2026

Nalani has been going through some incredibly painful days with sickle cell, so a little joy was exactly what she needed. Her Little Wish gave her a new baby to love and care for. And that little stroller has kept her moving ever since.💚

08/09/2026

He left us with one last Little Wish to carry out in his memory. 💚 Always thinking of others, 11-year-old Nicholas wanted to share the little things that had made his hospital days better. In his honor, bags were filled with comfort and joy for children in the hospital, including heat packs, LEGOs, Pokémon cards, stress balls, and, true to his playful spirit, a little prankster stuff too. It was an honor to carry out his wish and pass along the little things that meant so much to him. In loving memory of Nicholas, still spreading joy.💚

08/07/2026

Earlier this year, doctors discovered a large tumor in Brayden’s abdomen, beginning a cancer journey with an incredibly difficult start that included some touch-and-go days. With the care of his amazing Orlando Health Children’s medical team, Brayden slowly found his way back to playing and doing the things he loves. And Little Wishes has been right there with him. A play kitchen gave him the motivation to get out of bed and play again, while a ukulele and karaoke microphone inspired what his mom calls “a whole new musical Brayden.” His mom told us his wishes have meant “much more than people realize.” They’ve given Brayden things to look forward to, new things to love, and helped him find his spark again. And apparently, a love for Jason Aldean too. 🎤🤠💚

08/04/2026

Liam is celebrating two big milestones: reaching the halfway point of treatment and turning 11. So we surprised him with cheers from his care team, his buddy Sam, Sam from Maynard Canine Crew, LEGO sets, Roblox gift cards, and a celebration fit for one very special kid. If you listen closely, you’ll hear Liam thanking everyone around him. “That’s just who he is. Even on his hardest days, he’s the one asking us how we’re doing.” 💚Happy early 11th birthday, Liam!

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San Anselmo, CA
94960

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