Meet Charlotte

     The Christmas break during my junior year of high school was anything but typical. I was so excited to celebrate the holidays and end of exams with my friends during a Christmas party. The following day I would be going into Children’s of Alabama for an MRI that would likely “show nothing” as I had been dealing with strange symptoms for a year and we were trying to find the cause. Instead of showing nothing, the MRI showed a Grade III Anaplastic Astrocytoma, a large brain tumor that would require immediate treatment. The next day I was taken into surgery for what would be the first of three brain surgeries and the start of a year and a half of chemo, radiation, and rehab to gain back the motor skills that had been lost due to my tumor resections.

My junior and senior year were some of the most difficult times my family and I have ever faced. However, there were lots of blessings that came out of this time including the tremendous support from so many around us. While in the hospital, I was introduced to wonderful members of my care team called child life specialists. These professionals helped me to cope with the impact of  hospitalization and better understand my diagnosis. I instantly knew that becoming a child life specialist is what I wanted to do.

As I completed my senior year, I had the opportunity to have a magic moment. Music is something that helped my family and I through those difficult times and I had always wanted to go to Lollapalooza, one of the biggest music festivals in the US. I was surprised by the Magic Moments team, friends, and family while at work one day with news that my family and I would be going to Lollapalooza over the summer. I truly could not think of a more perfect time to receive my magic moment. I had just completed my treatment, I had clear scans, and I was about to graduate and go to Auburn to study Child Life.

Our trip to Lollapalooza was so incredible and Magic Moments made sure that we had the VIP experience while we were there (we literally had access into the VIP tent). Magic Moments was also kind enough to give us time to explore the city of Chicago and plan some extra things to do while we were there. This trip is something that my family and I still talk about often.

I am currently a child life specialist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. In this role I get to work with wish-granting organizations like Magic Moments and help identify patients who would be candidates for a wish. This is one of my favorite parts of the job because I personally know the magic behind these moments and what a difference it can make for families to have special memories in the middle of a difficult time. When I talk with my patients about their wish trips and experiences, a special place inside of me lights up with joy and thankfulness remembering my magic moment.