QUOTE
Teen’s efforts having profound impact
Brady (center), a young cancer patient at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, receives his “little wish” of a PlayStation 3 on Friday from the Little Wish Foundation’s Liz Niemiec (left) and her mother, Therese Niemiec. Photo provided
By Alicia Ebaugh
Staff Writer
Published: Sunday, February 20, 2011 5:06 PM CST
MICHIGAN CITY — To Liz Niemiec, there is nothing more exciting than granting young cancer patients’ “little wishes.”
Niemiec, a Michigan City High School junior, received a Prudential Spirit of Community Award earlier this month for being named one of Indiana’s top two youth volunteers of the year.
“I was so surprised to hear that,” said Niemiec, who started the Little Wish Foundation nine months ago. “I didn’t think I would get it. There were so many other amazing stories of kids helping out. But it was definitely an honor.”
MCHS Principal Mark Francesconi nominated Niemiec, who so far has raised $28,000 to buy small gifts for children undergoing cancer treatment. As a winner of the national award, she will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion and a five-day trip to Washington, D.C., in early May, where she will join the top honorees from other states for a flurry of events, dinners and community service engagements. She also will interview to become one of America’s top 10 youth volunteers of the year.
Niemiec said she’s excited about the trip because she’ll likely get to meet politicians and other famous people, but also said there is no way she would be able to accomplish all the foundation has done on her own.
“I have a whole team of people who come to our (board) meetings regularly and lend their expertise,” she said, also emphasizing those who have donated to make her work possible. “We all work together toward granting wishes.”
Niemiec threw her energy into creating the foundation after Max, the son of her fourth-grade teacher at Queen of All Saints School, Tina Olson, died of brain cancer last March. The foundation has granted 11 wishes so far, including five of them on Friday during Niemiec’s latest visit to Memorial Hospital in South Bend. She and her mother, Therese Niemiec, declared Friday “Little Wish Day” in honor of what would have been Max’s eighth birthday. They handed out $25 gift cards to the 30 cancer patients staying at the hospital’s pediatric oncology unit, and also brought cupcakes to share with the kids, their families and staff.
That day, Niemiec met a 21-year-old Kenyan man named Martin who is being treated for a brain tumor. She said she was moved by Martin’s generosity and desire to know more about the inspiration for the foundation.
“Martin was such an awesome person. He was so engaged in the conversation, he wanted to learn all he could about Max,” she said.
The Little Wish Foundation focuses on granting young cancer patients’ wishes that some bigger cancer organizations can’t, including gifts like laptops, iPods and video game systems. Niemiec said she is looking into expanding the foundation’s reach to include Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis to benefit even more kids.
“Every time I go to grant a wish is amazing. You can’t explain how touching it is until you experience it,” she said.
More about the foundation
If you would like to donate, send a check to Little Wish Foundation, P.O. Box 2023, Michigan City, IN 46361. An account also is set up for donations at Horizon Bank, 515 Franklin St., Michigan City, IN 46360. For more information on the foundation, visit www.littlewishfoundation.org. If you know a child with cancer who has a little wish, e-mail Niemiec at littlewish@comcast.net.
Also, the Little Wish Foundation is sponsoring a murder mystery dinner and dance March 12 at The Pearl, 907 Franklin St. The event will include a two-hour interactive show, an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner and an auction. Dinner begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $45 per person if purchased by Monday and $50 per person after. For tickets, e-mail littlewish@comcast.net or call (219) 363-5166, 928-1815 or (219) 861-7043.
Brady (center), a young cancer patient at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, receives his “little wish” of a PlayStation 3 on Friday from the Little Wish Foundation’s Liz Niemiec (left) and her mother, Therese Niemiec. Photo provided
By Alicia Ebaugh
Staff Writer
Published: Sunday, February 20, 2011 5:06 PM CST
MICHIGAN CITY — To Liz Niemiec, there is nothing more exciting than granting young cancer patients’ “little wishes.”
Niemiec, a Michigan City High School junior, received a Prudential Spirit of Community Award earlier this month for being named one of Indiana’s top two youth volunteers of the year.
“I was so surprised to hear that,” said Niemiec, who started the Little Wish Foundation nine months ago. “I didn’t think I would get it. There were so many other amazing stories of kids helping out. But it was definitely an honor.”
MCHS Principal Mark Francesconi nominated Niemiec, who so far has raised $28,000 to buy small gifts for children undergoing cancer treatment. As a winner of the national award, she will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion and a five-day trip to Washington, D.C., in early May, where she will join the top honorees from other states for a flurry of events, dinners and community service engagements. She also will interview to become one of America’s top 10 youth volunteers of the year.
Niemiec said she’s excited about the trip because she’ll likely get to meet politicians and other famous people, but also said there is no way she would be able to accomplish all the foundation has done on her own.
“I have a whole team of people who come to our (board) meetings regularly and lend their expertise,” she said, also emphasizing those who have donated to make her work possible. “We all work together toward granting wishes.”
Niemiec threw her energy into creating the foundation after Max, the son of her fourth-grade teacher at Queen of All Saints School, Tina Olson, died of brain cancer last March. The foundation has granted 11 wishes so far, including five of them on Friday during Niemiec’s latest visit to Memorial Hospital in South Bend. She and her mother, Therese Niemiec, declared Friday “Little Wish Day” in honor of what would have been Max’s eighth birthday. They handed out $25 gift cards to the 30 cancer patients staying at the hospital’s pediatric oncology unit, and also brought cupcakes to share with the kids, their families and staff.
That day, Niemiec met a 21-year-old Kenyan man named Martin who is being treated for a brain tumor. She said she was moved by Martin’s generosity and desire to know more about the inspiration for the foundation.
“Martin was such an awesome person. He was so engaged in the conversation, he wanted to learn all he could about Max,” she said.
The Little Wish Foundation focuses on granting young cancer patients’ wishes that some bigger cancer organizations can’t, including gifts like laptops, iPods and video game systems. Niemiec said she is looking into expanding the foundation’s reach to include Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis to benefit even more kids.
“Every time I go to grant a wish is amazing. You can’t explain how touching it is until you experience it,” she said.
More about the foundation
If you would like to donate, send a check to Little Wish Foundation, P.O. Box 2023, Michigan City, IN 46361. An account also is set up for donations at Horizon Bank, 515 Franklin St., Michigan City, IN 46360. For more information on the foundation, visit www.littlewishfoundation.org. If you know a child with cancer who has a little wish, e-mail Niemiec at littlewish@comcast.net.
Also, the Little Wish Foundation is sponsoring a murder mystery dinner and dance March 12 at The Pearl, 907 Franklin St. The event will include a two-hour interactive show, an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner and an auction. Dinner begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $45 per person if purchased by Monday and $50 per person after. For tickets, e-mail littlewish@comcast.net or call (219) 363-5166, 928-1815 or (219) 861-7043.