Christina Latham
At Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, staff are driven by their passion to impact the lives of children battling critical illnesses.
Christina Latham, who works as the Intake and Eligibility Specialist at the chapter, is an individual who uniquely embodies the values and spirit of hope that the organization represents.
Her journey and contributions to the organization are earnestly distinctive, as she leads and guides through an empathetic position that profoundly connects her to the families she serves. Christina is a Make-A-Wish employee, and she is a wish mom.
Before Christina’s son Jackson was diagnosed with epilepsy, Christina was already working for the Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania chapter in Scranton. In her early months of working part-time in a program associate role, Jackson, who was seven years old, began experiencing staring spells.
The Latham family had experience with seizures before, as Jackson’s older brother, Jefferson, had previously battled the same condition. Shortly after Jefferson outgrew the condition, Jackson himself began experiencing similar symptoms.
Christina was encouraged by her Make-A-Wish co-workers to start the referral process for Jackson. Upon receiving the news that he was eligible for a wish, he started along the journey.
“It was really lovely because my coworkers were his wish-granters,” said Christina. “He knew them, they became part of our extended family.”
Jackson ultimately decided to wish to have a gaming computer, something he could enjoy using for many years. On Jackson’s Wish Day in 2018, a scavenger hunt was organized at the Latham home.
“My coworkers came to our house, and we put everything together. They got the room ready, and when he came home from school, he started a scavenger hunt. He had to find clues that led him into the playroom where his gaming computer was set up,” said Christina. “Having him go under beds and in closets to find all these little clues that led him to his wish was sweet and it was a nice moment.”
Today, the wish continues to have a positive effect on Jackson.
“He still has the gaming computer and uses it all the time,” said Christina. “It's his Make-A-Wish computer and he loves telling people that. It's very special how it all worked out.”
Christina saw firsthand how Jackson’s wish provided optimism and joy for her family.
“As a parent to be able to see your child step away from all of those bad days, the medication, the getting sick from your meds, the not being able to play the sports that your friends are playing, not being able to go for a sleepover at a friend's house because of the concern he's going to have a seizure…his life is very different, like a lot of wish kids,” said Christina.
The wish experience also renewed a sense of normalcy in the Latham family, as well as cultivating a strong sense of community amidst a challenging time.
“As a parent, it was just lovely to see him excited about something, feeling special, and also introducing him to a bigger world of ‘you're not the only kid who's going through this’... there was comfort in that for both him and us. It was a welcome relief to know we're not alone in this,” said Christina. “This was not like a celebration of having this disease, but it was just a very nice way to pivot something that could be viewed very negatively and make it a positive.”
Not long after, the Latham family relocated to the Philadelphia area. In 2019, Christina decided to reach out to the local Make-A-Wish chapter to inquire about volunteer opportunities. On her volunteer training call she learned of an open full-time role.
Christina’s frame of mind having been on the other end of the line fuels her further to support families and speak to the impacts of the wish experience.
“I was not looking for a job. I was just looking to help out other wish families and all of it just clicked,” said Christina. “They offered me the position and I came on board.”
Christina started at the front desk assisting with referrals and verifying eligibility, as well as processing donations. Today, Christina is responsible for all referrals that come to the chapter.
“I have to field all referrals, obtain medical eligibility, and reach out to families to determine if there are potential qualifiers. I also work with medical professionals to get wish clearance for kids whose wishes are coming up. I work on the wish process, improving the journey and making things move faster through the pipeline,” said Christina.
“I'm a staff member and I am also a wish parent. I've been on both sides,”
“I can tell you from my perspective this was a very positive experience for my child. I also can speak to them during those welcome calls with that different point of view, because it's all new and overwhelming.”
Christina reflected upon some of the most meaningful and rewarding aspects of her work, which included a recent conversation she had with a mother whose child recently had a stem cell transplant. She recognized the renewed sense of optimism in the mother's voice.
“It's a refreshing change to work at a job where I feel like I am actually impacting families and people in a positive way,” Christina said. “It makes me feel good that I can do that.”
Through her role, Christina will continue to provide comfort and guidance to children and families along their journeys. Today, Christina’s children even help with tasks like packing wish boxes.
Fueled by compassion, wisdom, and purpose, Christina provides support and hope to children and families to do her part to make life-changing wishes come into fruition.
Her impact on the organization transcends her job responsibilities, and through her own experiences, is able to not only walk alongside families as they face their child’s illnesses but knows what it’s like to walk directly in their shoes.
Her position offers an unparalleled level of understanding, and through the local chapter, continues to give back the hope the organization gave to her and her family.
