For the third straight year, ESPN’s critically acclaimed SportsCenter’s “My Wish” series, which chronicles sports-themed wishes granted to children with life-threatening medical conditions, will be aired Sunday, June 29, through Thursday, July 3, Stephanie Druley, senior coordinating producer, ESPN, and David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of America president and chief executive officer, announced today.

The series is presented by ESPN, in cooperation with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and The Walt Disney Company. As part of the series, ESPN will help grant sports-related wishes with leading sports figures to five children referred to the world’s largest wish-granting charity. Each wish will then be the subject of one SportsCenter feature segment.

Much like in previous years, the SportsCenter segment will feature, among other things, the story behind the wish, interviews with the youngsters and their families, and a behind-the-scenes look at the wish fulfilled, including the interaction between each child and their favorite athlete. Emmy Award-winning reporter Chris Connelly will again host. SportsCenter “My Wish” segments will be taped at a later date. (ed note: to keep the wish a secret to be revealed when it is being granted, the participating athletes and wish kids will be announced at a later date.)

“The feedback from this series has been overwhelmingly positive and each year, we find out there are more compelling stories that need to be told,” Druley said. “’My Wish’ has become a unique prism for sports fans to better understand the bond that athletes share with their fans.”

Said Williams: "The awareness and enthusiasm that the 'My Wish' series has created for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and our wish-granting efforts during the past two years is simply phenomenal. The stories genuinely portray the joy of wish children when they meet their sports heroes, and people connect emotionally with the strength and grace these children and their families display in the face of a life-threatening medical condition. We appreciate the continued support of ESPN and The Walt Disney Company in bringing these wonderful stories to viewers."

ESPN.com will offer additional and complementary content related to the five wish-granting experiences.

“My Wish” first aired in 2006 (July 9-July 23) with 10 episodes. In 2007 (June 24-29), the series returned with five episodes. Over 15 original episodes in two years, “My Wish” has offered an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at the wish-granting experience and featured the wish children participating in sports-related activities with their favorite athletes or teams such as: Yankees captain Derek Jeter, Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, Miami Heat’s Dwayne Wade, figure skating star Michelle Kwan, NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson, and New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation: The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Born in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 67 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 161,000 wishes in the U.S. since inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit www.wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish^® .

About Team ESPN: Team ESPN encompasses ESPN’s multi-faceted corporate outreach initiatives, including volunteerism, corporate giving and cause marketing, while utilizing its diverse media assets. Through Team ESPN, ESPN, its employees and its fans work together to make a difference. Team ESPN… Fans Helping Fans. www.teamespn.com

About Disney’s Worldwide Outreach: Disney brightens the lives of children in need around the world through global outreach programs, local community initiatives and the Disney VoluntEARS program. Last year, Disney donated more than $177 million in cash and in-kind support to various charities around the world and the Company drew upon its unique magic to make wishes come true for children and families. Last year, Disney VoluntEARS contributed more than 466,000 hours of service. The Disney VoluntEARS program provides opportunities for Disney employees to contribute their time and expertise towards making a positive impact in the communities they serve while furthering the traditions and ideals of The Walt Disney Company. For more information on Disney’s outreach efforts, please visit www.DisneyOutreach.com