Wishes Come True for Families With High Hopes

It's not even 7 a.m. on a Saturday and Shaunae Nolet has already made a round trip up and down the escalator at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, having happily launched her first family of the day.

Her second Wish Kid should be pulling up momentarily.

When she's not serving in her full-time capacity as membership director for Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce, Nolet coordinates trips for families through the Merrimack-based High Hopes Foundation of New Hampshire. It's her job to make sure that the organization's sole mission, granting the wish of any New Hampshire child dealing with chronic or serious illness, is carried out.

Think Make-A-Wish, but more local and inclusive.

"The difference between us and Make-A-Wish is that we include kids with special challenges – they are not always life-threatening illnesses, but situations that create day-to-day stress and struggle for families," Nolet said. "Meredith, for example, is undiagnosed, and she didn't qualify for Make-A-Wish, but she is perfect for High Hopes."

Meredith Platte, 16, of Manchester, and her family arrived at the airport on Saturday at about 6:45 a.m., ready for a trip to Disney World. Her main disability is microcephaly, a neurological condition that, for Meredith, also includes being non-verbal, having seizures and developmental delays. She lives mostly in her wheelchair, although she can walk with some assistance, said her dad, Dave Platte.

"We've always wanted to go to Disney. This gives us a chance to financially and realisitically not worry about anything," said Meredith's dad. "We'll have the chance to see all kinds of things that Meredith loves to watch and see, like the Disney characters. She has the capacity of about a 9- or 10-month-old, so for the most part, family vacations don't exist. Mostly we take long car rides to Ohio to visit relatives."

Meredith is one of four kids for Dave and his wife Effie, including Madison, 17, MaKenna, 12, and McGregor, 8.

On this busy Saturday morning Meredith seems to understand that it's a momentous day that revolves around her – her spontaneous smile is hard to repress, even at this early hour.  Nolet has prepared a gift bag for Meredith, and another for the family, which includes gift cards to use while in Florida to defray the cost of meals and travel.

No sooner is the Platte family heading to the security line than Nolet and her merry band of noise-maker toting assistants – her niece, Malia Downey, 8, of Hudson, and fellow High Hopes board members Angela Roberge of Mont Vernon, and Ann-Marie McKenna of Londonderry, all head for the escalator down to greet the Dreher family of Peterborough. They are due to pull up at around 7 a.m. in the rental vehicle pre-arranged by High Hopes.

Gus Dreher, 7, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a disease that normally aflicts boys and involves the gradual degeneration of muscle tissue resulting in confinement to a wheelchair by early adolescence, and premature death.

"The heart is also a muscle, so his lifespan is right now significantly short – unless they come up with a treatment or a cure, so this is a really, really special trip for him," said Gus' mom, Tonya Dreher.

Gus' wish was to go on an African Safari, said Nolet. Although that is beyond the usual High Hopes budget, fortunately Gus was equally excited to learn he was going to visit Animal Kingdom in Disney World with his siblings, Isabel, 11, and Abe, 9, along with his mom and dad, Steve.

"A family can make any kind of request – it's not always a trip. Sometimes it's a special piece of equipment, or something else that's important to them. Today we just happen to be sending two families to Give Kids the World resort, which is an amazing organization – they take care of every detail," Nolet said.

The average cost of granting a wish is about $5,000-6,000. Nolet said any business or organization which has the ability to make a $7,500 donation – which also covers all High Hopes administrative costs – gets naming rights of the wish being granted.

"The other day we got a donation check in the mail for four dollars and some change, so you can see no amount is too small – or too big," Nolet said. "This is our 30th anniversary, and I think today's trips push our total of wishes granted to 582. It's a great feeling, to see these families finally have a chance to just get away from the every day stuff and enjoy some fun together."

Gus is a bundle of energy. He carries a stuffed tiger with him as he bounces between his parents and his siblings. He and his brother, Abe, spot the giant  moose inside the airport terminal and Gus runs over to pose, while Abe snaps a few photos.

"I want to see tigers," says Gus, when asked what he's hoping for on the trip. "And elephants. Lots of elephants."

For more information on High Hopes Foundation and the Wish Process, click here.

Postscript: On April 21 Shaunae Nolet reported that Meredith Platte got to ride on a wheelchair accessible merry-go-round for the first time in her life!