Make a wish foundation logo

CARES FOR KIDS PARTNERS

Make-A-Wish® Canada

Since 2007, WestJet has partnered with Make-A-Wish® Canada to help travel wishes take flight.

Group of people in make a wish shirts at the WestJet campus

How we support

WestJet and Make-A-Wish® Canada (MAW) have partnered together since 2007 to fulfill thousands of travel wishes, and to create a unique experience for all Make-A-Wish® children and their families travelling with WestJet. From the moment flights are booked, to check-in at the airport, and the inflight experience, WestJetters consistently go above and beyond to create a remarkable experience for each wish child and their family. It is these meaningful interactions with the brave Make-A-Wish® families that inspire WestJetters to go the extra mile. These connections have also inspired numerous WestJetters to personally become involved with Make-A-Wish®.

Initiatives and highlights

Make-A-Wish® 40th Anniversary and WestJet Charter to Orlando

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Make-A-Wish® Canada set out to do something magical. For the first time in its history, the nonprofit granted 40 wishes all at once and set out to bring critically ill children and their families from across Canada to the happiest place on earth. In addition to chartering an aircraft to and from Orlando, WestJet created an extraordinary pre-flight experience ahead of take-off that included craft and game stations, prepacked lunch kits for the flight and an exclusive gate-check experience.

Jeri-Ann's Wish to Fly

In partnership with Make-A-Wish® Canada’s Northern Alberta Chapter, we were able to grant Jeri-Ann's wish to fly. Jeri-Ann has a medical condition that does not allow her to fly above 10,000 feet, and we wanted to help make her wish possible. She was presented with her own special First Officer’s uniform and travel bag to make sure she was able to feel like a real pilot. With help from Captain Deere, Jeri-Ann had the chance to feel what it was like to fly, she also got to take the Captain seat in the flight simulator to fly the plane and guide it over New York City. Captain Deere was so impressed with Jeri-Ann’s skills that he awarded her with honourary pilot’s wings after their flight. 

WestJet pilot and kid sitting in aircraft engine

WestJet Cares for Kids celebrates 15 years

At WestJet, we are committed to positively impacting the health and well-being of children and youth in Canada. Between 2007 and 2022 we donated over 100,000 flights to our charitable partners through our WestJet Cares for Kids program. The continued support of our guests who travel with us makes all this possible, and we remain tremendously grateful. 

Weston's wish

We teamed up with our WestJet Cares for Kids partner Make-A-Wish Canada to grant 8-year-old Weston a life-changing wish: to go on an airplane with his family.

WestJet connections: Share happiness

To celebrate International Day of Happiness, we, along with our WestJet Cares for Kids partner Make-A-Wish Canada, surprised volunteer wish granter and longtime WestJetter Karl to thank him for bringing happiness into the lives of so many. 

McKenzie's wish

Six-year-old McKenzie was diagnosed with leukemia. Her wish was to swim with the dolphins in Hawaii and, in partnership with Make-A-Wish Canada and with the support of WestJet Vacations, WestJet was able to make this wish come true for McKenzie and her family.

About Make-A-Wish® Canada 

Make-A-Wish® is a dynamic wish-granting organization that works with communities across the country to bring hope, strength and joy to children aged three through 17 with life-threatening medical conditions. Along with the national office, eight regional chapters grant magical wishes to children in need from coast to coast. Since 1983, Make-A-Wish® Canada has granted more than 37,000 wishes across the country. Its vision is to grow wish granting in Canada, so every eligible child has the opportunity to have their life-transforming wish fulfilled.

Make-A-Wish® Canada articles from our Newsroom

Get to know our other Cares for Kids partners

WestJet Cares for Kids exists as a way for WestJet to give back to the communities we serve across Canada and help provide valuable resources to families in need.

RMHC logo

RMHC’s network of programs helps to keep more than 25,000 families close to their sick child and the care they need each year.

BGCC logo

As Canada's largest child- and youth-serving organization, BGC Clubs provide vital programs and services to over 200,000 young people in 700 communities across Canada.

Missing Children Society of Canada logo

The Missing Children Society of Canada exists to help return missing children to a safe environment and has evolved from distributing posters to embracing the latest.

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