Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Beth Thomas.
Mary Beth, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
The journey for helloHOPE began seven years ago. Just after our oldest daughter celebrated her first birthday, she began exhibiting alarming symptoms and started to lose weight. In our search for answers, the next several months held visits to specialists, numerous medical procedures, and lots of fear surrounding what our daughter’s future held.
During this season, we were immersed in the world of medical adversity. We discovered that it can take months to get an appointment with a specialist. Every waiting room we sat in was full of parents wearing brave faces as they waited for answers for their sons or daughters. Isolation and fear came easily. And an overwhelming amount of clinical words and information pointed more toward what was “wrong” with children than what was to be celebrated in them.
In the winter of 2012, our daughter was diagnosed with EoE, a chronic GI disease that occurs when white blood cells attack the lining of the esophagus. In his wisdom, our doctor advised us not to Google the diagnosis, but we were anxious to learn everything we could about what life was going to be like with this disease. Every website or story that we found pointed to either worst-case scenario stories or, at best, perpetuated the fear and questions in our hearts.
We finally stepped away from the computer, looked at our daughter, and with the help of our community and prayer, we decided that it was time to turn off this stream of negative information. We carefully followed all of her doctor’s instructions, but our focus shifted. Rather than obsessing over all that was wrong, we started paying attention to the things that made our daughter’s face light up. The things that made her come alive. Exploring outside or running through the grass with her infectious giggle.
As we watched her grow and gradually come to a place of healing, we knew that we wanted to steward the story we had been given. A little bit of research uncovered that 1 in 5 children in America faces special health care needs. That explained the full waiting rooms. And the place those parents are turning to for more information? The Internet.
We began dreaming together about creating a community built on hope for families walking through a diagnosis with their child. Families could share how they navigated through their journey with hope and faith. We could share resources that provided truth and encouragement to parents who are feeling overwhelmed or alone.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Like most things that we pour time and energy into, there have been challenges. That said, I think the biggest surprise is that the road has been winding. When we were putting plans together for helloHOPE, we had a clear mission and vision and really thought that the path was stretching out in front of us clearly. What we didn’t anticipate were the people who we would meet along the way–people who have enriched what we can offer to other families, parents and medical staff who are truly the face of hope, and those who have helped fuel our mission. It has been humbling and energizing. For any women starting their journey, I would recommend meeting with others who are ahead of you in the journey. Ask questions, listen, and take notes to look back on later. You are not alone, and it is empowering to know that you are working alongside others to make the world a more beautiful place.
We’d love to hear more about helloHOPE.
In July of 2015, helloHOPE was born with a mission of providing hope-filled stories and resources to families facing medical adversity. It has been a privilege to share 21 real, honest, stories of families who have walked through a childhood diagnosis with hope. Additionally, more than 100 resource articles have been published, providing parents with much-needed support and encouragement. The feedback that comes through our website continues to both humble us and propel us forward in our mission.
Based in Atlanta, helloHOPE has also had the unique opportunity to serve families at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta through in-person events. Our team has partnered with the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Egleston campus to support patient families in various ways, including serving dinner to patient families in the PICU waiting room several times a year.
We have expanded our program offerings at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to reach even more families by introducing Free Parking Day. The last two summers, we have surprised more than 2,000 patient families by paying for their parking, and the response is phenomenal every time. From tears of relief and gratitude to cheerful smiles, each family is reminded that they are not alone.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
One of my favorite genres of literature to read as a child was biographies. Stories of Clara Barton, Thomas Edison, and others who lived with a purpose have always inspired me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hellohope.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sayhellotohope
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sayhellotohope/
Image Credit:
helloHOPE
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
