Since Susie's Wish's inception in fall 2014, we have sent nearly 30 patients to the beach with their families. We have more condos lined up and are now actively seeking funds to send additional patients. Many more beach trips to come!
Patient #1 - Our very first patient was sent by Huntsville Hospital to the Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam from August 29-31, 2014, a four-day beach trip and concert in Panama City Beach, FL. The condo and concert tickets were donated by Pepsi-Buffalo Rock. The patient brought her boyfriend, brother, and parents to watch Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, and Dierks Bentley perform in concert.
Patient #2 - We had the amazing opportunity to visit this Hospice Family Care patient at his home in Arab, AL, following his seven-day stay at Turquoise Place Condos in Orange Beach, FL. The condo was donated by AEgis Technologies and the patient was able to stay November 29-December 6, 2014.
Patient #3 - Christmas was made even more special this year when a patient from Huntsville Hospital went to the Grand Panama Beach Resort in Panama City Beach during Christmas week, December 24-30, 2014. We continue to share messages with this patient and his family on Facebook. The patient enjoyed himself so much he and his wife returned to the exact same condo one year later to celebrate their anniversary. This condo was donated by Shelly Cagle of Twice the Ice, LLC.
Patient #4 - Hospice Family Care shared video of this patient when he first learned he would be going to the beach through Susie's Wish. The video is featured at www.facebook.com/susieswish. He and a friend spent a week fishing and spending time in the sun April 4-11, 2015, in Panama City Beach, FL. The condo was donated by Debbie and Art Aldridge who learned about Susie's Wish through The Huntsville Times.
Patient #5 - Another patient was able to bring his wife and two teenage sons to the Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam September 4-6, 2015. Again, their condo and concert tickets were sponsored by Pepsi-Buffalo Rock and they saw headliners Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, and Miranda Lambert.
Patient #6 - AEgis Technologies and Susie's Wish partnered in 2015 to send an AEgis employee and her daughter to Turquoise Place Condos in Orange Beach. They spent a beautiful week relaxing and enjoying the ocean views October 3-10.
Patient #7 - Sadly, the patient from Hospice Family Care passed away the week he was to go to the beach. Hospice was able to find another family who could bring their infant son, daughter, and sister to a week-long stay in Gulf Shores from October 30-November 7, 2015. This condo was donated by AEgis Technologies employee Gwen Scivally.
Patient #8 - Huntsville Hospital sent a patient to Phoenix West 2 condos in Orange Beach from February 14-20, 2016. The patient was able to bring her family and post pictures to our Facebook page. The condo was generously donated by Sally Locklear.
Patient #9 - Susie's Wish had the wonderful opportunity to meet with this Huntsville Hospital patient at her home prior to her beach trip. She asked her husband for a nice dinner and to be able to get her nails done! The family stayed in Panama City Beach March 26-April 2, 2016, and this was the second-time condo donation by Debbie & Art Aldridge.
Patient #10 - This was a milestone beach trip for us to be able to reach #10. This patient from Hospice Family Care visited Panama City Beach and stayed at the Grand Panama Beach Resort August 20-27, 2016. This condo was also a second-time donation by Shelly Cagle and Twice the Ice, LLC.
Patient #11 - For the third year in a row, Pepsi-Buffalo Rock generously sponsored a beach trip for a Huntsville Hospital Patient to stay in Panama City Beach and attend Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam 2016. Unfortunately, Tropical Storm Hermine caused organizers to cancel the concert but our family was still able to enjoy the beach and spend time together September 2-4, 2016.
Patient #12 - Proceeds raised from Mayor's Cup 2016 featuring a tennis tournament, and match between Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison Mayor Paul Finley, sent our twelfth patient from Hospice Family Care to Panama City Beach. The 15-year-old young man, along with his mom, enjoyed a week at the beach. Big thanks to returning condo donors Deb & Art Aldridge who also prepared a welcome bag full of goodies and snacks. The trip was March 25-April 1, 2017.
Patient #13 - Hospice Family Care partnered with us once again for sending a patient to Orange Beach for a 1-week stay thanks to generous donors, Mayor's Cup proceeds, and condo donors Susan & Dan Currie. Thank you, Currie family! The trip was April 22-29, 2017.
Patient #14 - The Morice family of Morgan City, Louisiana, donated their Pensacola Beach condo to a Hospice Family Care patient. They were able to spend time with their family during a 7-day stay on Santa Rosa Island in November. Thank you, Morices. And our thoughts are with the patient's family. The trip was November 10-17, 2017.
Patient #15 - Hospice Family Care selected a patient to stay at Seachase Condo in Orange Beach from April 14-20, 2018. We are very appreciative to the Buchanan family for their gracious condo donation!
Patient #16 - Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam concert tickets and condo package donated by Pepsi-Buffalo Rock for August 31-September 2, 2018, in Panama City Beach, Florida.
Patient #17 - AEgis Technologies donated their corporate condo December 8-15, 2018, at Turquose Place in Orange Beach to a patient very much in need of a holiday with their family.
Patient #18 - A new donor, and cancer survivor, generously donated their beautiful Orange Beach condo to a patient who traveled to the Gulf Coast with her family. They stayed October 17-24, 2018.
Patient #19 - AEgis Technologies once again stepped up to the plate with their condo donation December 8-15, 2018, for a little boy who was able to experience the ocean and dip his feet in the sand with his family. Magical memories.
Patient #20 - Every patient we send to the beach is meaningful and this one is especially so. Through a request from Leadership Huntsville, we learned of an alumni, a young woman from a previous Connect class, who has cancer and would like to go to the beach. It took half a second for us to say, absolutely, yes. We’ll send her— it would be an honor. Susie’s Wish was formed 5 years ago out of our Connect Class 17 class. Several classmates helped bring it to life, and several of those same classmates still serve on the Board. We wouldn’t have Susie’s Wish if it weren’t for Connect. And to be able to send an alumni from the program in Susie’s name is incredibly special. The mission has come full circle. We at Susie’s Wish are happy to continue gifting these trips to more & more patients for years to come. This family journeyed to Orange Beach February 23-28, 2019.
Patient #21 - This was an emotional trip as we sent Allen Stroud, WAFF 48 News Reporter, to Orange Beach from August 4-10, 2019. Not only did Allen meet Susie years ago when he was first considering becoming a reporter, he kept up with her career and her eventual fight with cancer. Through Susie’s Wish, never in a million years did we think we would send another 48 News Reporter to the beach and never did we think cancer would hit the WAFF family again— but it did. Allen remains strong and keeps us updated with his fight. At the beach, he brought his parents and sister, celebrated his mother’s birthday, and brought a framed picture of Susie to place beside his beach chair.
Patients #22 & #23 - We sent 2 of our hardworking janitor ladies from the Huntsville/Madison County on a vacation! Not only did they enjoy Labor Day weekend at Panama City Beach, but they also scored tickets to the Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam featuring Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, and Kid Rock!
Patient #24 - Working with the Susie’s Wish Board, one of our board members was able to gift a week-long beach trip to her co-worker and his wife. This young couple has been traveling to Birmingham for treatment for the last 2 years and had not yet taken a vacation. This not only brought them back to the beach, but it was a much-needed break from treatment and work. They spent a week at a beautiful condo in Orange Beach September 7-14, 2019.
Patient #25 - Another Susie’s Wish board member was also reach out to a family she knows whose young daughter was ill and longed to go back to the beach. They spent October 11-15 with family at a Gulf Shores condo rented by Susie’s Wish. Sadly, sweet Lily passed away two weeks after her beach trip. The Susie’s Wish continues to think of this family.
Patient #26 - A board member worked with a returning condo donor to secure a rental in Orange Beach for a family friend battling cancer. After a pipe burst in the condo, several people really stepped up in securing a new condo donation— in fact, it was the parents of the property manager! Talk about a team effort. This family enjoyed a week at the beach November 16-23, 2019.
Patient #27 - AEgis Technologies continues to donate a week-long stay at their gorgeous Turquoise Place condo! We are so thankful to AEgis for reaching out to us every year with a donation, and sometimes even multiple donations in a single year. Through their gift, Susie’s Wish was able to provide a beach trip to a friend with high school & LSU connections. After a 2nd round of chemo that lasted 6 weeks total, Sara, her husband, and two sons were able to enjoy a much-needed trip to Orange Beach December 14-21, 2019.
Patient #28 - Susie’s Wish was honored to send a patient to Orange Beach with her family in July, 2020. She visited the beach and stayed with several family members which was a wonderful break after months of cancer treatments and doctors’ appointments.
In 2020, due to Covid-19 and the global pandemic, we canceled several patient trips while deciding to not actively seek new patients to send to the beach. We are currently awaiting improved conditions while sending big wishes for the safety and health of all those impacted. We hope to resume beach trips in 2021.
