Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery
Last Tuesday, Panera Bread in Santa Maria generously hosted my Make-A-Wish presentation party. When I walked in, there were beautiful decorations, a lot of delicious food, and loving people who were there to help me celebrate my wish. Thank you to everyone at Panera, to Cal Poly Sorority Chi Omega (they adopted my wish and raised money,) and to all of the staff at Make-A-Wish for your love and support.
Staff at Panera Bread in Santa Maria, California
Thank you for hosting my Make-A-Wish Presentation Party!
Make A Wish Party Panera Staff
Chi Omega from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, thank you for all of your fundraising work!
I want to send out a huge thank you to Linda from Tri-Counties Make-A-Wish for believing in my wish, and for your hours of work in support of my heartfelt wish to help children with cancer. Linda has believed in my mission, and has been working on my wish for a very long time. More to come on Lovely Linda…
Thank you to Chi Omega Sorority at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo!
Mom and I picked up our rental car on Saturday and began the loading process—boxes of books for the children, cases of water for the road, and just a few belongings for our month-long journey. Last year, we named our rental car Hugo the HopeMobile, so this year, of course, we needed to name our travel vehicle. A car name is not something you can pick out before you “meet” the car. So, after we had driven about thirty miles, up the Atascadero Grade, “his” name came to us. It fits perfectly. Our vehicle has been lovingly named, Herbert the HopeMobile. When we are feeling especially affectionate, we call him Herbie the HopeMobile. Herbert is adorned with childhood cancer awareness signs—he is one decorated box of hope!
Yesterday was our first day of the Hope Tour. We left home at 9 a.m. on the dot, and as we turned the corner off of our street and onto my Gramma and Poppy’s street, there was something we could see up ahead of us. As we made out what it was, we began to laugh… Poppy was standing by the side of the road holding a sign, “Go Car of Hope!” What a great surprise, and what a beautiful and loving send-off my grandparents gave us!
Poppy and Gramma give us a surprise send-off!
Poppy and Gramma with loving send-off wishes for the Hope Tour!
Melinda Marchiano 
Comments on: "Children’s Hospitals Hope Tour- My Make-A-Wish" (1)
Well the last “Herbie” was the love bug…Lotsa love in that Hope Mobile as well…..