We are pleased to announce Elisabet “Lisa” Iparrea as our new executive director. Her responsibilities will include programs, development, community partnerships and relations, staff and operational management. Formerly the chief program officer at West Houston Assistance Ministries (WHAM), Lisa has served in leadership and advocacy roles at the Houston Food Bank, Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation, and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. She is an alumna of the University of Houston-Downtown (B.S. in Psychology and an M.A. in Nonprofit Management). She has participated as the board secretary with Fellowship in Him Ministries, a board member with Westchase Community Fund, an advisory board member and committee member with the University of Houston-Downtown, and as a board member with WHAM. In her free time, Lisa enjoys volunteering, singing, trying new restaurants and foods, walking, and spending family time with her husband and two beautiful daughters. Contact Lisa at elisabet@hisgracefoundation.org.

Happy Social Work Month! We want to say 'thank you' to all of the wonderful social workers at Texas Children's Hospital but especially our BMT Social Workers.   HGF sat down with the BMT Social Work team last month to learn more about why they chose to be social workers as well as discuss their valuable connection to the TCH Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. We are so grateful for them! — HGF: How did you first get into social work?  Maricela: I tried a lot of different career fields and internships, and I just happened to love working with other people and learning about how people think. I wound up really loving social work. I had a mentor and she told me I needed to be a social worker, so I decided to go for it! Jose: I got into social work when I was going through a rough patch in my life and social workers from my high school noticed, and they showed me how someone can be there and take action to change lives in a positive way. When I finished my bachelor’s degree in sociology, I went back to school and started thinking about what profession [...]

Read along as former BMTU patient Caitlin Miller shares memories of her time on the unit. We are so grateful to Caitlin, her family and friends for sponsoring our inaugural BMTU Putt Putt Tournament. Click here to see photos from this special day! ________ Share a bit about your diagnosis and what brought you to the BMTU. I was eleven years old when I was diagnosed with two rare genetic disorders: Monosomy 7 and Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Together, they meant cancer. It was early 2008, and after years of misdiagnosis, I was admitted to the BMTU at Texas Children’s Hospital in June of the same year. What three words would you use to describe what it felt like on the BMTU? Without His Grace Foundation, it felt intimidating, unknown, and lonely. With His Grace Foundation, it was colorful, caring, and hopeful. Do you remember receiving your HGF Welcome Basket? Anything specific you received and remember enjoying/appreciating? I will always remember my HGF Welcome Basket! Val (former HGF Executive Director) asked me what I was interested in and what I liked to do. I told her bright colors, polka dots, and puzzles/puzzle books. My parents appreciated the practical items, and I [...]

This Spring, we joyfully announced that His Grace Foundation would be underwriting a new, full-time Activity Coordinator for the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.⁠ We are thrilled to share that Paige Boni has joined the team at TCH and filled this pivotal role. Get to know Paige and learn more about how she will provide a deeper level of support for the patients and families of the Bone Marrow Transplant than ever before. ________ HGF: Paige, how exciting! We are so happy to have you at TCH in this role. Tell us a bit about yourself and what led you here. Paige: I’m excited too! My background is in teaching. Last year, it seemed as though my husband’s job was going to take us to a new city so I didn’t sign on for another year of teaching and began preparing to move. His project was delayed, so I began volunteering with the Junior League of Houston, which is what led me to TCH! I was a TCH library volunteer. Spending time there really opened my eyes to all the ways patients are supported (outside of their medical teams). Seeing those different opportunities intrigued me and when my husband’s job [...]

We recently shared of our Amazon Prime Day success, and now we're here to shine a light on one of our amazing volunteer partners who helped us unpack and organize all of your incredible donations — National Charity League's Heart of Texas Chapter! For the last two months, the mother-daughter volunteers from Heart of Texas have contributed hundreds of hours to His Grace Foundation. Over 90 volunteer hours were logged by their group during Amazon Prime Days alone. Their willingness and helpful spirits have proved invaluable to us. “What I have enjoyed most about His Grace Foundation is that I feel like my time volunteering really matters. I have seen the process from receiving donated items, to shelving them, to the final product of a wonderful gift basket for a child. HGF is really putting smiles on kids faces, and I’m happy to be a part of it," said Heart of Texas member, Shannon Ramirez. Heart of Texas arrives for each volunteer shift with a smile on their face and an eagerness to complete the task with excellence and efficiency. Their desire to do more for the Bone Marrow Transplant families led us to establish a new program with [...]

Wow! Because of your giving spirits, our Amazon Prime Day campaign raised ,091.09, blowing right past our ,000 goal! There is no denying the impact that these funds, toys, activities and essentials will make on Bone Marrow Transplant patients and their families. We were especially touched by several former patients and patient families who went above and beyond to support by sharing about our campaign. And now, let the unpacking and organizing of over 965 items begin! The Amazon delivery trucks have been coming by several times a day and our incredible volunteers are busy breaking down boxes and putting everything away! Thank you for partnering with us to bless these families. We are exceptionally grateful.

Six-year-old Rodrigo had one wish: to see a dinosaur. He'd memorized nearly every fact imaginable about these pre-historic creatures and now he needed to get his eyes on the real thing. The only problem? He had recently received a Bone Marrow Transplant and was living in a His Grace Place apartment with his mother, Jimena, frequenting the TCH outpatient clinic for follow-up appointments. The risk of exposing himself to a crowded museum was too great. Through an acquaintance of His Grace Foundation’s Board Chair, Rebecca Gentry, we were able to reach out to the Houston Museum of Natural Science to see if a private visit was even possible. Their response came within minutes — “Absolutely!” On Monday, February 13, the Houston Museum of Natural Science closed their Morian Hall of Paleontology to the public for Rodrigo and his family. Wide-eyed, Rodrigo spent his time swapping facts with HMNS paleontologist Colin Diggins. His parents and grandparents looked on as the pair discussed their favorite dinosaurs, looked at fossils and quizzed each other. “You are really making Rodrigo’s dream come true,” said Jimena. We are overjoyed to have been able to arrange this special experience and want to express our deepest [...]

Calling all BMT patients — past or present! We want to include you in our new video, which will be featured at the 25th Anniversary Dinner on October 3. Participating is easy:⁠ ⁠ 1. Pull out your phone, turn it landscape and record yourself saying 'thank you'!⁠ 2. Email (hillary@hisgracefoundation.org) or text (281-384-5228) the video file along with your name and the year you were on the BMTU.⁠ ⁠ We are so excited to include you! Help us get the word out by sharing this article with any BMT patients you know.

Last week we delivered 50 backpacks to BMTU patients (both in-patient and clinic) who needed assistance purchasing school supplies. Each backpack was filled with dozens of back to school essentials!⁠ ⁠ "Families were so, so happy," said a TCH Social Worker. "[We] had a list of kids coming [to the clinic] this week that could use the help. The contents were perfect."⁠ ⁠ Thank you to our incredible volunteers for assembling the 50 backpacks at a record pace!⁠

We are so grateful to Tomball Bible Church for selecting HGF as the beneficiary for funds raised at this summer's TBC Kids Kamp! Students raised over ,800, which will be used to support Bone Marrow Transplant patients with enrichment opportunities, comfort essentials and more. TBC Kids Kamp focused on teaching the next generation to serve while young so that when they are older it will be natural for them to want to serve in their communities around them. ⁠ Tomball Bible Church is a very meaningful partner in our twenty-five year legacy. Not only was it the the home church to our founders, but they provided us with critical storage space and a work room in our earliest years. We are so honored that over two decades later, TBC continues to join us in our mission of providing physical, emotional and financial support to the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Texas Children's Hospital.