“Through love make it your habit to humbly serve one another." ~ Galatians 5:13
Like most 12-year-old girls in 2003,
Hope was looking forward to a summer at the pool, trips to the mall and her
family’s annual vacation. She was
starting to realize that boys weren’t nearly so icky and dreamed of someday
being famous.
The persistent knee pain from a
biking accident changed all that. Tests
revealed osteosarcoma, a common form of bone cancer found in teenagers.
Rather than the summer of fun
she’d wished for, Hope began painful chemo treatments. As the Autumn leaves turned amber and scarlet,
she felt more optimistic than ever. Though there were times she screamed in agony,
Hope never lost faith and dreamed of beating cancer.
Unfortunately, the treatments
did little to quell the disease from spreading.
As the winds of November swirled in, Hope was thin, pale and mostly confined
to a wheelchair.
When Make-A-Wish volunteers
visited her home, they told Hope she could have anything she wanted. The wish
could be anything from a Disney trip to time with her favorite Boy Band.
Around her shoulders she wore a
prayer shawl; worn as a cape might be, as if those comfy memories gave her
superpowers. She considered the gift
carefully before answering: “You say there are 155 kids on the waiting list? Well then, my wish is to grant their every
single wish, and to do it just as soon as possible.”
It was a herculean task! They estimated needing to raise more than $1
million in thirty days. Never
discouraged, Hope lit the fire that inspired caring people to launch an unprecedented
fundraising campaign.
Local media shared the story of
this caring young soul who touched the hearts of so many. Word spread, committees formed, schools, corporations and various organizations raised money to help bring
Hope’s dream to fruition.
While fighting for her own life,
the biggest concern on the feisty red head's mind was for the other ill kids
around her, especially the ones that didn’t have a parent to stay with them
while they were sick in the hospital. She
encouraged her own parents to be their surrogates when needed.
She played the cards dealt her
like a pro. Unfortunately, she passed
away in early January 2004, surrounded by her family and her precious
kitties.
Donations continued pouring
in. Children brought in the contents of
their piggy banks; girls donated their babysitting money; a homeless man walked
into the MAW offices and gave what little he had.
Two weeks later, a Celebration
of Hope gala attended by over 1,000 people revealed to the stunned crowd that
$1,116,000 had been raised. All of the
kids would have their wish granted.
Hope’s Wish had been fulfilled.
