Wonders & Worries, Austin

While working in a hospital setting, Meredith Cooper and Melissa Hicks saw a number of children who suffered emotional devastation due to a family member’s illness. Together they founded Wonders & Worries to provide formalized therapeutic sessions for youth with a seriously ill parent. They and their staff of child-life professionals have worked with more than 1,000 families with a member dealing with cancer, ALS, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Their therapeutic sessions help children maintain a sense of normalcy while they cope with hospital visits and the effects of their parent's illness. The organization provides both individual and group sessions in English and Spanish and offers bereavement support for families that experience a loss.