From Patient Family to Fundraiser

Robert and Cathy Wilson’s Le Bonheur journey began in 2005, when their infant daughter, Ann, received surgery to repair a soft cleft palate.

A year and a half later when Cathy was 20 weeks pregnant with their second child, Mary Quay, they learned she had spina bifida, a neural tube defect that left a hole in the middle of her back, exposing her spinal cord. The Wilsons once again returned to Le Bonheur to receive the care Mary Quay needed. She was transferred to Le Bonheur within hours of her birth and underwent surgery to repair that spinal defect when she was less than 48 hours old. The Wilsons spent the next two and a half weeks at Le Bonheur while Mary Quay recovered.

It was during that experience that the Wilsons grew to love Le Bonheur.

“We really got a strong dose of what patient- and family-centered care is all about,” said Robert. “Once we were at Le Bonheur, we could stay with our daughter in her room, instead of just ‘visiting,’ and the clinicians were very good about explaining to us what was happening, what we could expect and helping guide us through the decisions that had to be made in our daughter’s care. Child Life also took time to help Ann understand what was going on with her sister.”

The Wilsons knew they wanted to give back to the hospital that meant so much to their family. Cathy joined the Le Bonheur Club, and they both began serving on Le Bonheur’s Family Partners Council, an advisory group that works with hospital leaders. In addition to volunteering, Cathy and Robert also decided to support Le Bonheur through financial contributions and a gift in their estate plan.

Since her initial Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stay, Mary Quay has continued to need the expert care of Le Bonheur, from multiple neurological and orthopedic surgeries, to regular physical and occupational therapy and pediatrician visits.

In 2018, Cathy became the director of Planned Giving at Le Bonheur so she could help others make gifts to the hospital and make a difference for kids for generations to come.

“I’m so happy to be a part of Le Bonheur’s fundraising team because I want to make sure that all children have access to the expert care that our daughters received at Le Bonheur,” Cathy said. “Today both our girls are thriving and Mary Quay has accomplished things we thought were impossible when she was first diagnosed. Le Bonheur gave our family hope and the care that all children and their families deserve.”

Want to learn more about how you can support Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital with a gift in your estate plan? Contact Cathy Wilson, J.D., CFRE, CAP® at 901-287-5575 or cathy.wilson2@lebonheur.org.