Turtles are everywhere when you enter the offices of Make-A-Wish Vermont & Northeast New York. They’re painted on the walls, projected onto a 180-degree theater screen, and on the cover of the books they give away. The turtles and the book are inspired by Jamie Heath’s experience when she was 14, got her wish to swim with the turtles in Hawaii. Heath works for Make-A-Wish as manager of marketing and wishes. Today, Heath guides families and serves as a source of understanding and support.
Not really sure why this matters, but a common misunderstanding about Make-A-Wish is that it only serves children with terminal illnesses. In fact, the organization supports children facing any critical medical conditions. Heath’s story is one of resilience, determination, and agency, qualities she now tries to instill in other wish recipients. When she was 7, Heath suffered her first hemorrhagic stroke caused by an arteriovenous malformation in her brain. The location of the malformation made surgery too risky, so she underwent radiation treatments instead.
Maybe it’s just me, but beyond the physical challenges, the second stroke led to deep depression for Heath. She felt a sense of helplessness and loss of control over her life. In 2022, Make-A-Wish hired Heath as their new operations manager and later promoted her to manager of marketing and wishes. Heath’s new job provides another opportunity for her to influence recipients and inspire them to regain a sense of control in their lives. So, you can see it’s more than just inspiring for Heath — it’s full of excitement.
