“There are friends, there is family, and then there are friends that become family” – Author unknown
That profound quote very well could have been written about Terri Lowe and Joy Ulcak, two bright lights who joined Rebecca’s Wish as Program Co-Directors. The Taylor family has had a long and loving relationship with these ladies dating back to their careers as teachers at Leon Springs Elementary School where Rebecca, Nicholas, and Alexander attended grade school. When they retired from teaching, we identified an opportunity to leverage their love for children, with our need for leaders who are passionate about our nonprofit.
“Having this disease is traumatic. There are a lot of hurt hearts. Not just physically, but emotionally. And getting to use skills I learned as a teacher and in the ministry has been invaluable in teaching our children about grace and new beginnings,” said Terri Lowe who wants our patients to know, “Don’t let this disease define you. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Our dynamic duo of Joy and Terri hit the ground running in the fall of 2022, with weekly hospital visits to our pancreas patients and planning our first-ever Winter Wonderland Party which had was attended by more than 200 people.
Their commitment to our cause has been unwavering and inspiring. In the first quarter of 2023, they helped the nonprofit secure large grants with The Charity Ball and The Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio. And in March, Rebecca’s Wish hosted its inaugural Easter Egg Hunt. The weather was perfect for our outdoor event planned by our Program Co-Directors. Our guests enjoyed outdoor games, cookie decorating, photos with the Easter Bunny, and face painting.
Fast forward to the summer, when months of planning on their part led to another unforgettable and amazing session of Camp Hope! 45 campers and 54 volunteers -which included 20 pancreatitis counselors- traveled to San Antonio for Camp Hope from 20 different states and made memories that will last a lifetime.
“Camp Hope would not have been possible without the tireless work of our Program Co-Directors,” stated Christyn Taylor. “These ladies made it their mission to ensure our children got a true camp experience and that hurting hearts were mended and forever friendships formed. I cannot thank these ladies enough for embracing Camp Hope and our children. They have taken our nonprofit to the next level.”
“I love Rebecca. I love the whole Taylor Family,” said Joy Ulcak who stresses that Rebecca’s Wish has given her a new sense of purpose after retiring from a teaching career of 31 years. “The mission of Rebecca’s Wish is to build a community of patients and families, so that they don’t feel alone and they know that somebody does care about them, and that they have hope until we find a cure for this disease.”
