Marty Lyons Foundation
First Wish Program · About this organization
What you get
An approved wish arranged for your child, with payment made directly to the providers.
How to start
Get the application instructions, arrange the doctor form, notarized release and hospital HIPAA form, then mail the originals within 60 days of your first submitted document.
Good to know
- A case closes if complete original forms are not received within 60 days; reapplication is then required.
- All adults 18+ participating sign releases; sibling coverage changes at 18.
The details, as published
Marty Lyons Foundation arranges and pays providers directly for an approved wish for a child age 3–17 with physician-documented terminal or life-threatening illness in its 14-state residence or treatment area. First-time recipients cannot have received or be pursuing another wish, and four original forms must be mailed within a 60-day completeness window.
What help you may get
Camps And Retreats
First Wish Program — camps and retreats
Marty Lyons Foundation arranges and pays providers directly for an approved wish for a child age 3–17 with physician-documented terminal or life-threatening illness in its 14-state residence or treatment area. First-time recipients cannot have received or be pursuing another wish, and four original forms must be mailed within a 60-day completeness window.
Amount not published
Peer And Emotional Support
First Wish Program — peer and emotional support
Marty Lyons Foundation arranges and pays providers directly for an approved wish for a child age 3–17 with physician-documented terminal or life-threatening illness in its 14-state residence or treatment area. First-time recipients cannot have received or be pursuing another wish, and four original forms must be mailed within a 60-day completeness window.
Amount not published
Practical Items And Home Help
First Wish Program — practical items and home help
Marty Lyons Foundation arranges and pays providers directly for an approved wish for a child age 3–17 with physician-documented terminal or life-threatening illness in its 14-state residence or treatment area. First-time recipients cannot have received or be pursuing another wish, and four original forms must be mailed within a 60-day completeness window.
Amount not published
Travel And Transportation
First Wish Program — travel and transportation
Marty Lyons Foundation arranges and pays providers directly for an approved wish for a child age 3–17 with physician-documented terminal or life-threatening illness in its 14-state residence or treatment area. First-time recipients cannot have received or be pursuing another wish, and four original forms must be mailed within a 60-day completeness window.
Amount not published
Wishes And Family Experiences
First Wish Program — wishes and family experiences
Marty Lyons Foundation arranges and pays providers directly for an approved wish for a child age 3–17 with physician-documented terminal or life-threatening illness in its 14-state residence or treatment area. First-time recipients cannot have received or be pursuing another wish, and four original forms must be mailed within a 60-day completeness window.
Amount not published
Check the main eligibility rules
Diagnosis
B-ALL is in scope. B-ALL may be physician-documented as life-threatening for a child age 3–17 in the listed geography, subject to prior-wish and approval rules.
Age
Age 3 to age 17, measured at application.
Treatment status
No specific treatment status is published.
Where you live and where your child is treated
Where your family lives
You must live in: The child may qualify by residence in one of the Foundation's 14 designated states..
- The child must reside in a designated state or currently receive medical treatment in a designated state.
Where your child is treated
Treatment must be in: The child may qualify by currently receiving medical treatment in one of the Foundation's 14 designated states..
- Current medical treatment in a designated state is an alternative to residence in a designated state.
How to get started
Does a social worker or care team need to start it? No. A required care-team start is not published; the family can use the available route below.
- A parent, family member, or social worker obtains the application instructions.
- Complete the parent form, physician form, notarized release/indemnity, and treating facility HIPAA authorization.
- Mail all original forms to headquarters within 60 days of the first received application document.
- Wait for medical, geography, prior-wish, feasibility, and budget review.
Ways to apply or ask
- Hospital Workflow
- Online Portal · Open form or page
- Online Portal
- Online Portal · Open form or page
- Online Portal · Open form or page
Documents to prepare
The program does not publish a document checklist. Ask before gathering paperwork.
Availability and timing
| Program | Active |
|---|---|
| Applications | Open |
| Funding or space | Not Published |
| Application window | Rolling |
| Last checked | Aug 27, 2026 |
- A case closes if complete original forms are not received within 60 days; reapplication is then required.
Limitations and things to confirm
- Age event, decision time, queue, financial/citizenship/insurance rules, California document conflict, language, and media-consent alternatives are not published.
- All adults 18+ participating sign releases; sibling coverage changes at 18.
- No reimbursement for family-incurred expenses.
- Confirm age event, medical review, capacity, decision time, family/financial/citizenship rules, California form update, language, and consent alternatives.
Official sources
Program details were last verified Aug 24, 2026. Availability can change, so check the official program before applying.
- First Wish Program · checked Aug 24, 2026
- First Wish Program · checked Aug 24, 2026
- First Wish Program · checked Aug 24, 2026
- First Wish Program · checked Aug 24, 2026