Posted on Feb 27, 2015 in
COVER STORY
The Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana Chapter
Teri Andrepont with Luke and Joyce Thomas.
By M.G. Angulo | Photos by Nesossi Studios-
When they arrived, Luke Thomas was ready. The eight-year-old, slender second grader was waiting with three sheets of paper in his hand, and on each one was a wish. The first: See The Phantom of the Opera. Luke wanted not only to see the production but meet the orchestra, visit with the actors and step on stage. The second: Meet Justin Timberlake and sing a song with him. And, the third: Go to a Philadelphia Eagles’ game, meet the players, run on the field and get their autographs.
It was the third wish that Luke Thomas settled on, and it came true thanks to the Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation that recently relocated to Fort Bend.
New Neighbors
After 15 years of being housed out of a small cottage in Houston’s Museum District, this Make-A-Wish chapter – one of the 65 chapters in the United States – moved into what was the old Ethan Allen furniture store located on Kirkwood and Highway 59 in Stafford. It’s a move that CEO Teri Andrepont said will help this chapter grow and serve more children. The decision to make the move began a year ago with a 500 toy shipment that was delivered to the nonprofit. There simply wasn’t enough space for all of the toys, and Andrepont, as well as everyone else at the nonprofit, realized there wasn’t space for everything anymore.
“We were crammed in that little cottage,” Andrepont said, fondly remembering those times. “We didn’t want to leave the cottage, but we couldn’t put anything else upstairs or downstairs. We also didn’t have room for volunteer trainings or recognition meetings. We had just outgrown it.”
So, the national organization set their eyes on Fort Bend County, eventually finding the old furniture store, which as it turns out, fit the criteria they were looking for – easy access off of a highway where the chapter could showcase its brand. In August 2014, the nonprofit relocated after renovating much of the building – bringing the bathrooms to code, installing more windows, laying out 17,000 square feet of donated carpet and even putting on a fresh coat of paint – which Andrepont said wouldn’t have been possible without so many donations, volunteers and supporters.
“It’s amazing to see the finished product thanks to everyone who donated,” Andrepont said, adding that there is a donor wall in the building dedicated to those who helped made the renovation possible. “It kind of looks like a gallery in here,” she said. “We love it, especially since we’re no longer on top of each other.”
Now several months into their new location, the Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana chapter of Make-A-Wish continues to make dreams come true. Every 38 minutes, Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition throughout the nation and United States territories. Since its inception in 1984, the Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana chapter has granted more than 6,600 wishes, and in 2014, it set a new chapter record by granting 505 wishes.
Luke’s Wish
Luke, who loves music and strawberry cheesecake, also enjoys playing catch with his dad and football, especially watching his favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles. So, when the Make-A-Wish team came to visit him, he was ready.
“He had clearly put a lot of thought into his wish,” Andrepont said. “We talked it out and explained what his wish would look like. And he thought, and thought, and thought. Then, he said what he wanted most was to meet his favorite team.”
Luke’s mother, Joyce, said it’s hard to adequately express just how thankful she and her husband, Steve, were for Luke’s wish being granted. “Luke endured a great deal during his time of illness and treatment. He missed out on so many things and seemed to develop a thankfulness and appreciation for each opportunity to enjoy life, big or small,” she said. “Seeing the enjoyment Luke had during the granting of his wish was beyond a dream come true. He enjoyed every moment. Luke felt so special, from the car ride to the airport, to the hotel stay, to the limo ride to the game, to the warm-ups on the sideline, to the game and all of the places around and in between.
“He got to meet the players, coaches and staff of the Philadelphia Eagles up close and personal,” Joyce said. “The Eagles did such a wonderful job, along with the Make-A-Wish team members, in creating an out-of-this-world experience for Luke.”
Although he said he was very quiet during his visit with the Eagles, Luke said his favorite part was watching the game from the sidelines. He also received a coin and pin from the president of the team and met his favorite players Leshaun McCoy and Nick Foles. On top of that, Connor Barwin gave Luke his glove, and Donnie Jones gave him his towel. Luke also met with the general manager Howie Roseman and signed autographs, too.
“It was really cool to meet the Eagles,” Luke said. “The Eagles are my favorite football team. They picked me up, and I said, ‘One, two, three, Eagles!’ I liked going to the office and meeting everyone and becoming a real Eagle.”
While this chapter of Make-A-Wish has been granting wishes in Fort Bend for some time now, the nonprofit loves the welcoming nature of the Fort Bend area. Since the relocation, many people have stopped by to see what Make-A-Wish is all about. And, what it’s about is simple: “Our mission is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy,” Andrepont explained.
Joyce said she couldn’t agree more. “Teri Andrepont, her husband, Jim, and the team at Make-A-Wish were so very wonderful. When you meet them, interact with them and observe them, you truly appreciate the love and service they provide. Families, perhaps under no choice of their own, go through struggles of all types. As a family with a child facing leukemia, there was a great deal of struggle. It is through the special work and dedicated service of so many that we got through in the manner in which we got through,” Joyce shared.
“The Make-A-Wish team we were privileged in interacting with showed us that there are great people with great hearts out there, looking to help and looking to make a difference. The team and foundation seem to exemplify the characteristic of service and giving of one’s self to help others, to bring joy to the lives of children and to improve their quality of life. We love Make-A-Wish, Teri and Jim and their entire team, and we look forward to staying connected.”
Making Dreams Come True
Luke Thomas and Wish Coordinator Nikki Eliason.
Granting wishes is a four-step process. First, there’s the referral, which can come from the child, a relative or someone who cares for the child, like a doctor. Then, the child’s medical eligibility is determined. To receive a wish, the child must be diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition such as a progressive, degenerative or malignant condition that has placed the child’s life in jeopardy. The third step, and perhaps the most important, is discovering what the wish is. A team is sent out to interview the child, and it is at this time that the child gets to reveal what it is he or she wants more than anything.
“We ask them what is that one wish in their heart that they truly want. Then, we sit quietly and let them think,” Andrepont said. “Sometimes it’s a puppy, or they want to meet the president. Other times, they want to meet a celebrity, or they even want us to help their parents reconcile. As long as it’s legal, we’ll do anything.” There was once a request for a four-year-old girl to meet her dad – a man she had never met.
The final step in the process, the most obvious one, is to grant that wish. That little girl who wanted to meet her dad had the chance to, and Luke, who wanted to meet his favorite team, was given the opportunity.
“I am happy that they made my wish come true. My mommy and daddy told me I could wish for something when I was done with leukemia and my counts were good,” Luke said. “I said I wish no more kids would be sick. My mommy and daddy said that was a nice wish. They asked that if I could make a wish to see something or do something, what would I wish for? Then, I said I want to meet the Eagles and go to a real football game. The Make-A-Wish people are nice, and I like to go to their building, too. My wish made me happy.”
“Being able to listen to a child, to find out what their one wish is and being able to make that happen is unbelievable,” Andrepont said. “But the power of sharing that wish, it’s not just the child who benefits. It affects everyone who is involved.”
The Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana chapter of Make-A-Wish is always searching for volunteers. Anyone interested can find more information at http://texgulf.wish.org. Joyce said because of their experience, she and her family plan on working with Make-A-Wish. “We look forward to serving through Make-A-Wish and encourage others to take part,” she said. “There are so many ways to help, from donating time, money and resources.”
