Moms Who Rock: Lisa Work, Make-A-Wish Granter

For more than 100 years, we have taken a day to honor mothers -- those women who care for others, whether it’s by virtue of having given birth or because they are simply giving souls who watch over all of those around them.

We gave our readers the chance to tell us about their mothers and what makes them special. Here is one of those nominations:

Lisa Work, Jackson

Growing up I did not truly understand how much of a gift it was to have a mom that was able to stay at home with her two young children and help, nurture, teach, and watch them grow.

As I am reflecting back on my own life it is clear to see that my life is 100 percent shaped by my amazing mom. Like most moms my mom is kind, caring, selfless, encouraging, and has a huge heart, but she has something that separates her from the rest. I could go on for hours about how my mother has influenced my life and my brother’s life, but what really sets her apart for most “supermoms” is that she gives all she has.

My mother does not only give to her family, friends, and even acquaintances, but she gives to complete strangers. Once my brother and I were old enough to stay home by ourselves my mother began to work again, but she also began to volunteer.

For 15-plus years my mother has been a wish granter for the Make-A-Wish foundation. She has dedicated a large chunk if her life to the foundation, the children who have life-threatening illnesses, and their families. My mom never hesitates to accept a wish for a child and takes on as many wishes she can manage at one time. My mom has never done any of this for praise or thanks, she does this out of the kindness of her beautiful heart.

When my mom volunteers to be a wish granter of a wish, she does not know the child or the family, but once they meet my mom and feel her warmth and kind heart that my mother has, they become a part of her heart and she becomes a part of theirs. I often ask my mom if it is hard or depressing being a wish granter because she sees so many children affected by horrible diseases. She says it could be, but she looks at it in a different way. She most certainly explains that she is helping grant a child, what could be, their last wish come true and that takes the spotlight overlooking at the negatives.

She often tells me how grateful the children are and their families, but she says she is grateful too. Because of this organization and the children and families she gets to help, she is forever thankful for what they give to her without even knowing it.

My mother lost her mother and father at a very young age and they did not get to witness the selfless person she became. I know that they would be blessed and proud to call her their daughter, just as I am to call her my mom. For the past 24 years my mom has told that I can be whoever I what to be, but what she didn’t know is that the person I most wish to be is her.

Chelsea Work, Toms River