Wish Upon A Teen

It is a universal truth that being in the hospital for days, weeks and months at a time can be very hard. Trust me, I would know. I like to look at the positives in every situation, but even I have to admit that there were many times when I sat in my same four walled hospital room with the constant reminder that while my friends were out enjoying their lives and moving forward, I was stuck here. But Wish Upon A Teen made it better.

Wish Upon A Teen is an organization that not only decorates hospital rooms for teens throughout the United States, but also gives them hope and opportunities which makes an incredible impact on so many teens lives, including my own. I met them in 2019 at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan a few weeks after my accident occurred. Initially, while I was in the ICU, I was given a form to fill out where I got to pick a theme for my decorated hospital room in which I chose “travel”. Anyone is able to sponsor a room; mine was sponsored by an amazing individual and ambassador of Wish Upon A Teen, named TrickTrick, who has supported many teens including myself.

When I walked back into my hospital room, I was amazed. There were new sheets and pillows on my bed, posters on the wall, and so many other surprises. It was such a mind-blowing feeling of appreciation, I had no idea who these people were, and yet they showed so much kindness towards me. It made my hospital room feel less like an average hospital room and more like my bedroom at home. It’s very important because the room felt less foreign and more like something of my own. This is where I met Nancy, Wish Upon A Teen’s Executive Director who truly takes pride in her job and is such a kind-hearted individual. Overall, this was one of the most memorable highlights of my stay at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan and a memory I will forever cherish.

After I left the Hospital and came back to Canada, the care and compassion I received from Wish Upon A Teen didn’t stop. I was invited to events such as a baseball game, basketball game, spa days, runway show, art day and a concert! I sometimes wasn’t able to make all of these events, but the ones I did, I was able to meet other teens that were going through similar struggles and knew what it was like to be hospitalized for long periods of time. The Runway of Hopes and Dreams is one of my best memories. It was such an incredible experience where I got to walk the runway with the same person who sponsored my decorated hospital room, TrickTrick (aka UNC Trick), who I am forever grateful for. They have also sent me things in the mail such as a Stacked bracelet and Love Your Melon hats for me and my brother, which was so nice to do knowing that we live over the border and weren’t able to go pick them up.

I don’t think I will ever be able to fully express my gratitude towards everything Wish Upon A Teen has done for me and how much it has meant to me. Almost every surgery, I’ve gotten a message or post from them wishing me luck or sending prayers. The love and support I have received is beyond belief and I thank this organization for making my life even better. Wish Upon A Teen has been such a light in my journey and I hope that someday when the borders open back up, I am able to see them again and help out in any way I can. Thank you Wish Upon A Teen for making me smile even more 🙂

Much love, Zoe Jena ❤

Link to http://www.wishuponateen.org

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