Misty Loves Happy Wheels!

Many of you know that my daughter, Isabella, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at just 2 years old. As a mom, hearing that news was heartbreaking. The unknowns were overwhelming — what happens next, what does this mean for her future, and how do I help my child through it all?

We were blessed with incredible physicians at MUSC, and thankfully she reached remission. But at age 6, we faced a difficult JRA flare. Isabella was admitted to MUSC Children’s Hospital and was in so much pain she needed morphine. Watching your child hurt like that is something no parent can truly prepare for. It was an especially scary time because Amelia was only 4 weeks old and I was nursing, so we all stayed together with Isabella in the hospital.

In the middle of all that fear and uncertainty, something truly special happened — Happy Wheels came to visit.

I will never forget Isabella’s face lighting up like it was Christmas morning. For those few moments while she picked out a toy, she forgot she was in the hospital. She forgot the pain. She was just a happy little girl. And as her mother, I cried seeing that joy return to her face.

That moment stayed with me.

Today, I volunteer with Happy Wheels because I want to give back what they gave to us during a very difficult time.   I get to see firsthand the joy these children feel when we arrive, and it is such a beautiful thing. But I always find myself looking at the parents too—because I know exactly how they feel.

Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness create the biggest moments of hope. ❤️