On Sunday, September 17th, Yoli Alvin, Alyssa Alvin for Hope Foundation (AAFH) President, delivered an acoustic guitar to a young girl receiving treatment at Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Yoli was joined by her nephew, Daniel Guerrero, in presenting the guitar to Eliza and her family. Eliza had made a gift request on the AAFH website when she was referred to the Foundation by the hospital’s music therapist, Jonathan.
The entire Beth family, Dad-Pete, Mom-Mindy and Eliza’s siblings: Megan-10 and Henry-2 traveled from their farm in Wisconsin to be treated by the specialists here in Chicago. Because this was their second time here after Eliza experienced a relapse, the family told us how knowing a gift would be waiting for her lifted her spirits in the face of the challenges ahead.
Eliza is an 8-year-old who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in the Spring of 2014 and relapsed last year in September of 2016. Eliza’s nickname is Izza and she enjoys playing piano just like Alyssa did and is looking forward to learning how to play the guitar. When Izza met Jonathan, she told him of her desire to get a guitar.
We consider it a privilege to be able to have a positive impact on the young patients that we are able to present with musical instruments or art supplies in the name of the AAFH and in Alyssa’s memory. We will never forget the joy it brought Alyssa and are happy to widen that circle of joy as much as we can.
