PHOENIX (Feb. 2, 2010) ­– Twelve youngsters with life-threatening medical conditions will see their biggest wishes come true when they travel to South Florida to watch Super Bowl XLIV, thanks to the National Football League and the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® .

The young football fans will be at Sun Life Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 7, to cheer on the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints. Each child and a family member will attend the game through the assistance of the NFL, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation has planned an action-packed itinerary once the wish families arrive Feb. 4.

Highlights include tours of Sun Life Stadium and the Super Bowl media center, attending press conferences for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year finalists and for the two participating Super Bowl head coaches, and a trip to the Dolphin Harbor Miami Seaquarium.

The wish kids’ presence continues a long-standing relationship between the NFL and the Foundation, which was founded in 1980. At Super Bowl XVI in 1982, the NFL helped the Make-A-Wish Foundation grant its first Super Bowl wish.

“We are celebrating our 30th anniversary this year, and the NFL’s early wish-granting support helped the Foundation grow during the formative years,” said David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America president and chief executive officer. “Today, the league and its 32 teams carry on that strong tradition. They enable children to enjoy unforgettable experiences from attending the Super Bowl or NFL Pro Bowl to meeting their favorite players and getting a behind-the-scenes look at practices and games. The Foundation appreciates the NFL’s generosity in making our wish kids’ football dreams come true.”

The wish kids hail from 10 states – California, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and West Virginia – and Australia. For media inquiries about the wish kids, please contact Brent Goodrich, media relations manager, at (602) 279-9474.

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. Founded 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 65 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 188,000 wishes in the United States since its inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish^® .