Fill Your Bucket List Foundation grants final Wishes from the heart for adults with a cancer diagnosis. With our headquarters located in Cary, NC, and a network of volunteers and supporters, we serve those in the greatest need around the country. We receive no state or federal funding, relying instead on the generosity of our supporters to fulfill Wish requests.

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What are the details around a Wish?

• Wish must come from the adult with the illness.

• Wish applicant must be able to communicate the Wish and comprehend/participate in the Wish experience.

• All Wish requests should first and foremost be about making memories with those you love. Wishes may be small or large but at the end of the day they should be about sharing special experiences together.

• We do not cover funeral expenses or posthumous requests.

• Please also read what Wishes we are unable to grant listed in the application.

 

Does it matter where I live in order to get a Wish fulfilled?

• You must be a legal U.S. citizen currently residing within the contiguous U.S.

 

Filling out the application...

• Anyone can fill out the application, but the Wish applicant (or if the applicant is unable to sign, his power of attorney) has to sign it. We need to make sure that this is the patient’s Wish, not someone else’s for the patient

• Anyone can write the Wish letter, as long as it reflects the applicant’s Wish

• The applicant has to be able to communicate his/her Wish, so if a patient is unconscious or unresponsive, we are not able to help

• If you had a wish through Make-A-Wish Foundation as a child, we need to know when that was and what your wish was, in order to determine your eligibility at this time

• If your doctor does not want to fill out Step 4, send the application in anyway. As long as the diagnosis is there, we will try to work with your doctor to find out if you qualify for our program or not.

• The original application should be emailed for processing and then please send the original copy as well in regular postal mail. We will provide a hard copy of the application and a pre-addressed, stamped envelope upon request.

Emailed to:  wishes@fillyourbucket.org

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Original postal mailed to:

Wish Nomination Committee

Fill Your Bucket List Foundation

PO Box 806

Cary NC 27512

 

• We do accept faxed applications for emergencies only.

• It takes 2-4 weeks to process your application (after receipt of the original).

• We then begin the verification process which will take anywhere from a few days to a month, depending on the information to be verified. This includes the response time of your medical team/doctor.

• Once we start working on the Wish, please allow at least four weeks to arrange for air travel, as flights are more expensive the closer to the desired date they are booked.

• While we will do our best to start working on your Wish as soon as possible, we cannot rush your requests.

 

I do not file taxes, can I still apply? What’s the income limit to qualify?

• If the wish recipient does not file taxes, we require documentation to show all income received by the household (include disability, SSI, etc.).

• We focus on patients who have a household income near the national poverty line. We look at each application individually. We look at the taxable income, take into consideration how many people live in the potential recipient’s household, geographic location, and also check if the letter talks about financial hardship.

 

What do I need to be able to travel?

• If your Wish request requires travel, you need a major credit card or debit card with enough funds to cover any unforeseen expenses, such as the cost associated with a hospital stay and to get you home in case of an emergency.

• We do not ask for your credit card number.

• If your Wish request includes a hotel stay, you will need a credit card at check-in to cover incidentals.

• You need a valid government issued picture ID

• Your doctor needs to approve your travel. We will send additional paperwork to your doctor to best assess your medical needs and make sure that you are cleared for travel.