Along Comes Hope founder and CEO, Jenny Mulks (lft) presents a ‘Hope the Bear’ to Morro Bay Rotary President, John Weiss after a recent Rotary luncheon where Mulks talked about her fight with cancer and the hope her organization brings to the families of children with cancer. Photo by Neil Farrell
Morro Bay Rotary Club highlighted the good work being done by Along Comes Hope, a non-profit organization that supports children and their families as they fight cancer.
Club President, John Weiss thanked District Attorney Dan Dow for suggesting they invite Hope’s founder and CEO Jenny Mulks, who gave a brief talk about her own struggle with the illness that led her to start the non-profit in 2013 to help others.
The setting at the old Grange Hall on Hwy 41 east of town, had an impressive array of characters and leaders in business and local government, a VIP list of minor celebs, including the County Superintendent of Schools, Jim Brescia, a long-time friend of Mulks. Brescia introduced her saying that she and the organization were hope makers, not hope takers.
Mulks said, “Every story is filled with hope today.”
She was diagnosed with a rare cancer and given six-months to a year to live. “I was a single mom,” she said, “that couldn’t be my story.”
Five different doctors told her the same thing, “to get my affairs in order.”
She became her own medical advocate and searched for the right place to seek treatment. She landed in Houston, Texas at the Houston Cancer Center. “They were so kind, and so loving.” They gave her hope, and it paid off. Eighteen years later and she’s still standing. “God had a better plan,” she said. “God put this on my heart to start Hope.”
During her treatments, she encountered numerous children also being treated and saw the difficult time their families had. “I couldn’t imagine that being my child,” she said.
Their focus started with helping pay for the necessities, like lodging and food and expanded into emotional support programs, and the other children in the home. “Siblings get left in the dust,” she said. “We also try to help the siblings.”
Mulks presented Weiss with a specially made stuffed Teddy bear the organization offers to donors. Hope the Bear is available on the website, see: jennymulks.com/along-comes-hope. The Bear has been in the works for some time. “It took longer to get these bears made,” she joked, “than it was to have a baby.” The bear talks too.
Along Comes Hope’s mission statement sums up what they seek to do. “To inspire HOPE and healing by keeping families together, when it matters the most. We also provide support through financial assistance with travel for treatment, creative emotional support programs and advocacy to promote policy changes, awareness and education.”
The Club also handed out several donations, as part of its regular fund-raising efforts. The Noor Foundation got a check for $2,500. SLO Honor Flights got $2,600 and the SLO Food Bank $1,500. The 805 Outreach Showers was given $2,000.
Weiss said after the meeting that the club raised over $2,300 for Along Comes Hope. Rotary picks a different non-profit each month to highlight and raise money for.
They also got a “special book report” by Rotarian and local author Keith George on his first novel: “The Evening of Bartholomew Jones,” available on Amazon.
Rotary meets at noon on Wednesdays at the Grange Hall. On May 6 they will host Jack’s Helping Hand, an advocacy group from South County that helps disabled children and families. Bridget Ready, Jack’s co-founder along with her husband Paul, are listed as the featured speaker.
