Cancer is an illness that affects not only the person who has it, but also their entire family. When Suzi Simmons was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, her world was rocked. At this time, her two daughters were in kindergarten and fourth grade.
“My husband and I were so worried about how they would handle our new situation—watching me go through chemo and surgery, as well as all the changes in the household because I was so sick,” says Simmons. “A friend referred us to Wonders & Worries, and as soon as I reached out to them, a weight was lifted from my shoulders. This amazing organization provides free professional support to children and teens who have a parent with a serious illness such as cancer, ALS, and diabetes.”
Simmons spoke with a child life specialist who invited her daughters to join a peer support group. Once a week for the next six weeks, the girls were given the time to express the feelings they were experiencing. They also gained invaluable coping skills for dealing with those feelings. Wonders & Worries offered something well beyond simply helping Simmons’ daughters navigate her cancer, which she will forever treasure.
“I was lucky enough to join the Wonders & Worries team in April 2022 as their Donor Relations Manager,” says Simmons. “I’m thrilled to be able to serve this organization daily that gave so much to our family.”
The services provided by Wonders & Worries are free of charge to families. They rely on their sponsors for funding and the helpful hands of volunteers in order to support the work they do within the community. With the mission to help children and teenagers reach their full potential despite at-home hardship, Wonders & Worries created the Teen Leadership Council. This program was founded on the idea of building up the next generation of philanthropists.
“Rather than simply collecting money for an organization, these teens plan and execute an event fundraiser from start to finish. This year’s teens are planning a Pup Fashion Show and Yappy Hour on April 16th at Zilker Park,” says Simmons. “They also learn business and marketing skills from various community leaders along the way.”
As an organization at large, Wonders & Worries hosts three impactful fundraisers each year. They have their family-friendly Urban Scavenger Hunt that is based all around the Greater Austin area, followed by an after-party at the Zilker Lodge. Another event is their No Worries Classic at Reunion Ranch, which features a two-hour clay pigeon shooting competition. Finally, there is their biggest fundraiser of the year—the Envision Gala.
“Our Envision Gala brings together over 550 individuals from the business and medical communities to support the Wonders & Worries mission and highlight families that have benefited from the support in the past year,” says Simmons. “It is an excellent opportunity to remind referring professionals that we are here to support those they serve.”
The team behind Wonders & Worries enjoys connecting and collaborating with other organizations and individuals to pull these fundraisers together. They are able to obtain the resources needed to help families build a solid foundation of communication. But for their services to work, families enduring serious illnesses need to be proactive.
“Don’t wait until there is a visible problem,” says Simmons. “Every child and family can benefit from Wonders & Worries support when navigating illness. Everyone should make the call and get support from the very start.”
To refer yourself or another family to Wonders & Worries, connect online at wondersandworries.org, call the office at 512-329-5757, or email info@wondersandworries.org.
Interested in attending or sponsoring the Envision Gala? Wonders & Worries invites the community to join them on February 24th at the JW Marriott. Register now at: betterunite.com/wondersworries
