Whether a child with a life-threatening medical condition wants to meet the Pope, Mary Poppins or Mickey and Minnie, Make-A-Wish Mississippi strives to make it happen.

But that takes money, said Make-A-Wish Mississippi development director Jane Walsh.

Walsh is looking for teams for the 13th annual Walk for Wishes, which will be held Sept. 24 at Exchange Club Park. Teams can be as small as one person, and the only request is that team members raise at least $100 each. Make-A-Wish Mississippi gets 100 percent of the proceeds from the walk.

For information to form a team, call Walsh at 601-366-WISH (9474), ext. 1305.

Walsh met with several families Thursday at Southway Baptist Church in Brookhaven for a kick-off meeting.

Several of the children in attendance have wishes approved by their doctors, and are waiting for final arrangements to be completed.

Walsh said she and her co-workers are currently putting together wishes for 12 children in this area, four in Brookhaven, five in Bogue Chitto and three in McComb.

In the past year, the organization has helped children in Mississippi go on shopping sprees, visit the Vatican to meet the Pope, meet actress Julie Andrews, travel to Hawaii, the Smokey Mountains, Japan and the Caribbean. They arranged 58 trips to Disney World.

“Disney World is still the No. 1 wish,” Walsh said.

The average cost of a wish to be granted is $6,500 to $7,500.

“That’s why we really need to raise some money,” she said.

No wishes, if approved by the child’s doctor, are denied, however, in some cases they may be renegotiated a bit. One child asked for a yacht, Walsh said. They’re working on getting him a really nice boat.

“We just make it happen,” she said.

At the meeting, Analiese Cook, 4, of Brookhaven, played with her Sophia the First doll that she won in a door prize drawing. Analiese is on her fifth day of a 10-day cranial radiation treatment for leukemia. She wore a hat someone made for her, crocheted brunette braids and a gold crown to replace the hair she’s lost with the treatments.

A blonde one is in the mail, her mother, Angela, said.

Analiese, who was diagnosed a year ago this month, has a collection of hats, but the crown is her favorite. “She loves that,” her mom said. “She’s a princess.”

The little girl with the big smile chose Disney World as her wish. “She wants to go where Minnie lives,” Cook said.

The Cook family, which includes dad Jeremy and big brother Lawson, plan to make the trip in June.

They’ll be walking in September for a team organized by Lisa Shann, the wife of Analiese’s doctor, Timothy Shann.

“All of Brookhaven has been amazing,” she said of the support she’s received since her baby girl’s diagnosis. “We will definitely be there and we will do the walk.”

She said Analiese is excited about going to Disney. It’s something to look forward to rather than treatments and needles.

“They go through a lot,” Cook said. “I’m really grateful to all the sponsors.”

Paula Reeves, of Bogue Chitto, attended the Make-A-Wish Mississippi kickoff with her three children, Sawyer Reeves, 4, Braden Case, 5, and Braylin Case, 7. Braden and Braylin have both been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.

It’s rare for siblings to share the disease, Reeves said.

Braylin’s wish is to swim with dolphins at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas after seeing a commercial for it. Braylin loves all things dolphin, her mother said.

Because she’s been required to use a ventilator recently, Braylin’s doctor has put a hold on the family’s travel plans.

“It’s not a never-can-go, it’s a not-right-now can’t go,” Reeves said.

They’re making plans for Braden’s wish, a trip with his family to Disney World. Reeves’ husband, T.J., will be joining them.

Because Braden loves Batman and Ninja Turtles, Make-A-Wish Mississippi is including a visit to Universal Studios as well.

Reeves said she’s grateful for volunteers who raise money for the Walk for Wishes. “We’d never be able to go and take them,” she said.

Southway Baptist Church got involved with Make-A-Wish Mississippi several years ago. They designate a portion of their budget to the organization, said pastor Rich Balkcom.

The church will have a team, too. He encourages other churches to do the same.

“We can’t do everything, but if we pull together, we can do something,” he said.