FACT CHECK: Is The Make-A-Wish Foundation Only Granting Wishes To Fully Vaccinated Children?

An image shared on Facebook claims the Make-A-Wish Foundation is only granting wishes to children who are fully vaccinated.

Verdict: False

While Make-A-Wish is requiring families to be vaccinated for wishes involving air travel and large crowds, it is not denying wishes to unvaccinated children. The claim appears to stem from a misunderstanding of a video from the Make-A-Wish CEO.

Fact Check:

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a non-profit organization that grants wishes to critically ill children, according to the foundation’s website. Now, a post on Facebook claims the organization decided to only grant wishes to children who are fully vaccinated.

The coronavirus pandemic put thousands of wishes on hold due to stay-at-home orders, travel restrictions and event cancellations, NBC South Florida reported in May 2020. Other children had to alter their wishes, according to USA Today. There is no evidence, however, that Make-A-Wish is refusing to grant wishes to unvaccinated children.

An internet search conducted by Check Your Fact found no media outlets reporting that the foundation is mandating vaccines before children can receive wishes, only other fact-checking outlets debunking the claim.

The claim appears to stem from a deceptively edited video shared on Twitter, that showed Make-A-Wish CEO Richard Davis speaking about updates to Make-A-Wish’s COVID-19 policies. In the edited video, Davis says wishes involving air travel within the U.S. and large gatherings will resume September 15, but will require all participants, including the child making a wish, to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Twitter video, which was originally sent in an email to Make-A-Wish families, was edited to end before Davis finished explaining which children would be eligible for wishes involving air travel and large gatherings, the Associated Press reported. (RELATED: Does The Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine Contain Graphene Oxide?)

The foundation on June 28 published a statement on its website clarifying the misinformation surrounding its vaccine policy. “Make-A-Wish has not, does not and will not deny wishes to children who are not vaccinated,” the statement reads, in part. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, Make-A-Wish has safely granted over 6,500 wishes to children and families – regardless of vaccination status. Make-A-Wish will continue to grant wishes to children who are not vaccinated.”

The statement goes on to explain that there are other types of wishes to choose from that don’t require being vaccinated, such as road trips, shopping sprees, meeting a celebrity and room decorations. The vaccine policy does not apply to children who have received a terminal prognosis, according to the statement.

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