We first shared this in 2021, and we’ll continue sharing it because — one little boy had a wish, and no one could have imagined where it would lead …
| I have a confession. Although you've been involved with Make-A-Wish for decades and told me countless wish stories, I've never been moved to tears. Until this weekend. |
| Why? It is not like you were at Tommy Austin's 80th birthday celebration on Saturday. Almost none of the speakers could get through their comments without crying. As you know, there would be no Make-A-Wish without Tommy, as it all started back in 1980, when he wanted to do something special for Chris Greicius, a 7-year-old boy who was battling leukemia and wanted to be a police officer. |
| Those are the facts, yes. But when you invited Sawyer to join you, and emailed us the link to the story that inspired the Make-A-Wish video, it sat in my inbox until Saturday afternoon. I was clearing emails and found it, and thought it was a good time to watch it, especially since I knew you were at the party. And that's when the facts of Make-A-Wish became something so much more. |
| You may have been watching it at the same time we were, as they used it to open the tribute to Tommy. I have known him for decades, so am very familiar with the story, but it is a powerful reminder of how people came together to grant a young boy his wish, and how that single wish touched so many lives. |
| Yes, the ripple effect it created was truly amazing, as it led to the creation of The Make-A-Wish Foundation. But what brought me to tears, and made me go through more tissues than I'd care to admit, were the words of Chris's mother, "This was something I was totally helpless to do, but Tom was able to pull it off with help from others." |
| I cannot imagine the helplessness a parent must feel when their child has a serious illness. |
| Trust me, hearing those words made my heart hurt. But I smiled when one of the other founders explained that after Chris had passed, with his wish having been fulfilled beyond his wildest dreams, everyone involved looked at each other and said, "There are more children out there; let's go find them," and how it snowballed from there. It made me want to cheer and shout, "Yes!" |
| "Snowballed" is an understatement. Now, 41 years later, Make-A-Wish has made such a huge difference … granting more than 500,000 wishes, with chapters around the world … and bringing hope and joy to the wish kids and their families. |
| I can't begin to imagine how proud Tommy Austin must be to know that his simple desire to make one boy a little happier would lead to so much more. |
| The word I would use is "humble," as Tommy believes he is merely the messenger and refuses to take any credit, explaining he was only trying to make Chris' life better. But, there was a room full of people who saw it differently, and told heartwarming stories about Tommy. |
| It sounds like it was the best 80th birthday party ever, and he certainly deserved it. |
| It was so much more. And, we surprised him by announcing that, in honor of his 80th birthday, The Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast & Louisiana had created a "Circle of 80" to kick off the Tommy Austin Wish Fund. |
| That's so perfect. Although I've never met him, from watching the video I think that the best gift one could give Tommy would be to help grant the wish of a Make-A-Wish child. For that matter, it may be one of the greatest gifts any one of us could give … |
Whether it's becoming involved with a local Make-A-Wish chapter or simply by making a donation … never underestimate the power of a wish!
Design by Sawyer Pennington
Our banter may start with two sisters, but it’s getting families, friends, and even classrooms talking.
October is Health Literacy Month, and if you've ever struggled to understand medical terminology, figure out what health information to trust, or weigh the risks and benefits of treatment options, you already know why health literacy matters.
Each of us approaches health information very differently, but as you'll discover, even Black, who enjoys statistics and research, finds navigating healthcare complicated. And Red? Just thinking about it can give her a headache!
| As a mom, over the years, I've had to become familiar with various children's health issues and basic healthcare (and don't get me started on health insurance). But whenever it was something more than the common cold or flu, a stomach ache, or the usual scrapes and bruises, I felt like I was back in school. And between the terminology and trying to understand how the body works, I often felt like I needed a nursing degree. Not to mention, there's so much information on the internet, it can be overwhelming as well as confusing and sometimes scary. Over the years, I've also had to deal with my aging parents' more serious health issues, and I've lost count of the pages of notes I've taken and questions I've asked. Or the conversations discussing risks vs. benefits that I've had with medical professionals and my sister. (I'm glad Black finds statistics "fun" and can look at them unemotionally because they give me a headache.) |
| Until recently, I had never heard the term "health literacy," and when I first did, I initially thought about general literacy skills such as the ability to read and understand numbers. Skills that are essential if you are sick and need health information and services, but also impact health decisions that should be simple, like filling out forms, taking over-the-counter drugs (aspirin, cold and flu remedies, etc.), and learning about the things we should (or should not) do to live a healthier life and reduce the chances of serious illness. But then, I thought about how anytime I had to deal with a health issue, especially ones that could potentially be serious, it was a tedious, complicated, and technical challenge. And, at the risk of sounding arrogant, I like to consider myself well-read, pragmatic, and comfortable with numbers and research documents. In other words, although it impacts some people more than others, the issue of "health literacy" affects us all. (And, that does not even address what it does to the cost of healthcare.) |
red head assets.rebelmouse.io 
Black assets.rebelmouse.io THE CONVERSATION STARTERS
- Before now, have you ever thought about "health literacy"? How would you describe it? What impact does it have on your life? How can it impact your ability to be successful in the workplace?
- Why do health and healthcare topics seem so daunting?
- Does health literacy only impact you when you are facing health issues? Why or why not?
- Have you ever had a medical situation or condition that required you to learn more about it? Where did you seek information? Did you have any problems learning about it?
P.S. – You might be interested in our Conversation Starters for Financial Literacy and Digital Literacy.
October is Bat Appreciation Month, and while most people associate bats with Halloween, they remind Red of something very different and far more important: her daughter, Natasha, a memorable trip to Austin, and a surprising decision by Black.
What started with thousands of bats flying out from under Austin's Congress Avenue Bridge eventually led to Natasha and Black getting their first — and matching tattoos. Of a bat. (Yes, Black has a tattoo!) It's a family story about memories, unexpected connections, and how something as unusual as bats can become surprisingly meaningful. | Thanks for sending me Natasha's Austin-inspired business plan. But while I know that's her future, I can't help but think about the first time I took her to Austin. |
| All I remember is that it was love at first sight. |
| It was on our way home from taking Sawyer to camp, and I told her we were making a slight "detour". She was so excited when I pulled up to the hotel, as she's always loved hotels. But that night, as we walked onto Congress Avenue Bridge and saw thousands and thousands of bats fly out into the sunset, she was mesmerized and "in love". |
assets.rebelmouse.io | Although I knew about the bats (the largest urban colony of bats in the world), if it were not for Natasha, I never would have planned a trip to Austin to see them. But having watched her watching the bats, I was not surprised, years later, when her first tattoo was a bat. |
| That may not have been surprising, but I was shocked when, a few weeks later, you decided to get a tattoo that was identical to hers. I didn't know that you were such a fan of bats. |
| It was not the bats; it was the fact that it was identical to he tat. Although, I think Natasha and I should add a few more bats. And this time, do it in Austin. |
| It's amazing how so many of my memories of the girls growing up are connected to Austin. |
| Funny thing is, whenever I would be there with you and the girls, and they would "drag" me to that old-time candy store at the top of Congress, I would see things I had not seen since we were little, so would be reminded of us as children. |
| That's always one of the first places they'd want to go to in Austin. That and Green Mesquite BBQ. They both loved Austin, and it wasn't like going to a large city, where there are so many places to go and sights to see. They were always happy to go back to the same familiar places and enjoy simple things, like that snowcone truck or even just walking around downtown. |
| For as long as I can remember, Austin has always been a foodie town. And, it had food trucks before they became popular around the country. Austin has a unique culture, which may be why the girls, but especially Natasha, love it. Its "Keep Austin Weird" vibe not only makes it the perfect place for her, but has provided some great ideas for her business concept. |
| I'll leave the business analysis to you. I know that she's doing that as part of her studies in the U.K., but I prefer to think about the great times we've had in Austin. And the mom in me thinks she'd be very happy to make Austin her home one day. |
| Especially as that's where millions of her beloved Austin bats live. |
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