Seriously ill children who were granted a wish, such as through the Make-A-Wish program, had fewer unplanned hospital admissions and were less likely to use the emergency department, a study conducted at Columbus, Ohio-based Nationwide Children's Hospital found.
Anup Patel, MD, section chief of pediatric neurology at Nationwide Children's, studied over 1,000 seriously ill children and found patients granted a wish were 2.5 times more likely to have fewer unplanned hospital admissions and 1.9 times more likely not to have to use the ED. This led to a decrease in care costs even after the average wish cost was considered.
Fifteen-year-old Cimone Stills, who has treatment-resistant epilepsy, was granted a wish to go to Paris. After her wish was granted, her mom saw a big difference in her daughter's health and sense of hope. "Cimone did not have one seizure during the entire trip," said her mother, Tonisha Stills.
"Granting a child their greatest wish — whether it's meeting their favorite celebrity, being a firefighter for a day or taking a trip — gives them a break from their illness," Dr. Patel said. "Now, this study has shown that the benefits extend beyond putting a smile on their face; it can help them improve over time, keeping them out of the hospital and with their families where they belong."