When the Make-A-Wish Foundation holds its annual fundraising “Walk for Wishes” in Bangor today, Tyler Hawes, 5, and his family will be there rooting for the cause.

After all, the Levant youngster, who is afflicted with histiocytosis, and his family were the recipients of an all-expenses paid trip in 2003 to Disneyworld funded by the foundation that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. Histiocytosis is a life-threatening disease characterized by an abnormal increase in immune cells called histiocyte cells, a dysfunction which acts like cancer.

“For him, it was an amazing trip. He was treated like royalty, and he was full of smiles as we all were,” his mother, Kimberly Hawes, recalled on Tuesday. “The whole experience was emotional, so many people doing so many wonderful things for children they may not have ever met.”

While the blond-hair, blue-eye boy is now in remission, Tyler remembers peering up at Cinderella’s castle and meeting the cast of characters at the Magic Kingdom, according to his mother. He and his family now want to help other ill children have the same opportunity, she said.

Each year, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and its supporters work to fulfill the wishes of about 75 children in Maine who are afflicted with life-threatening medical conditions, according to Tom Peaco, the foundation’s executive director.

The walk, which will take place at 6 p.m. in Ellsworth, Waterville, Pittsfield, Belfast, Houlton, Dennysville and Bangor, is one of the foundation’s major fundraising activities, Peaco said. Last year’s event raised about $40,000, and Peaco hopes this year’s walk will exceed that amount.

The funds to grant the wishes of the children, with each wish costing about $5,000, are raised privately, according to Peaco. The wishes are as varied as wanting a swimming pool to eating fish with Eskimo children in Alaska, he said. Of the foundation’s $1.2 million budget for the state of Maine, about $1 million is raised in cash and the remainder represents donated goods and services.

Clubs such as the Cambridge All-Terrain Vehicle Cruisers Club help the foundation immensely, Peaco said. Last weekend, Peaco attended the club’s fundraising pig roast and corn cruise which drew 327 people riding on 220 all-terrain vehicles, an event that raised $3,000 for the foundation.

Sue Charette, club secretary, said this is the fifth year the club has raised funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a move that came after a local child was granted a wish. Cambridge Farms donated the use of their corn and hayfields for the night ride, and those fields were awash with red and white lights, she said Tuesday.

“It’s getting bigger every year,” Charette said, of the event. “I think we’ve been on a high ever since Saturday when people started rolling to see what a small club can do.”

Peaco said he was amazed by the turnout.

“It was really touching to me to think that people would travel from all over the state in large part because they have a fondness for our organization,” he said.

Kimberly Hawes, too, is grateful for the support from friends and strangers.

“It’s just a wonderful thing,”‘ she said.

For more information, go to www.maine.wish.org