Make-A-Wish Canada has launched a new national brand campaign, “Wishes Are Medicine,” that aims to redefine the meaning of a wish and its impact on children facing critical illness. At the heart of the campaign is a message delivered by sick children themselves: “Wishes are not just a nice-to-have; they’re an essential part of treatment,” the non-profit says.
“Wishes are life-changing prescriptions,” Make-A-Wish Canada CEO Meaghan Stovel McKnight said in a press release. “They’re a powerful part of a child’s treatment journey, bringing both children and their families strength, hope and resilience – all of which are essential in fighting the impact of critical illness. Not all medicine comes in a bottle.”
The campaign was created in collaboration with agency partner Zulu Alpha Kilo, which became the AOR for Make-A-Wish in 2024.
According to Make-A-Wish, 95% of medical practitioners surveyed say wishes improve health outcomes. Further, patients who had a wish fulfilled were 2.5 times less likely to have an unplanned hospital visit and 1.9 times less likely to use the emergency department.
The campaign features self-recorded video messages from real wish kids describing their journeys with critical illness new treatments that could help improve their outcomes. The twist comes when the kids hold up a doctor’s prescription, not for pills or procedures, but for a wish: to visit a theme park, swim with dolphins, ride a rollercoaster or become a princess.
“While Make-A-Wish is well-known by Canadians, they may not know there’s research proving the real impact a wish can have,” said Jenny Glover, CCO at Zulu Alpha Kilo. “We love the raw simplicity of these stories and hope they help show that wishes are not something extra, but are as essential as medicine in their treatment plan.”
Media planning and buying were managed by Zulumatic and Yeeboo Digital.
“Wishes Are Medicine” launches nationally Monday across broadcast, social, digital and OOH. Communications will drive awareness to a dedicated landing page where donations can be made.
