Parent Testimonials

‘A HUGE blessing from above’ is the best way to describe Project Joy and Hope. PJH will forever hold a special place in our hearts. When I was 24 weeks pregnant I received high risk imaging as a “just in case” due to what looked like fluid in baby’s kidneys, instead the findings of the ... Read more

My journey with Project Joy & Hope began at a time when my son and I were navigating uncharted waters. The uncertainty of awaiting a double lung transplant for my son brought with it immense fear, anxiety, and questions that seemed to have no answers. It was a time when hope seemed distant, and despair ... Read more

In April 2024, at around 20 weeks getting, we found out that our daughter had spina bifida. We were then referred to The Fetal Center in Houston for treatment. In May, a surgery was performed on our daughter in utero to repair the spina bifida, after which we were sent home. But, we were told ... Read more

At our 20 week anatomy scan in November, we learned our unborn baby had spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Our world was flipped upside down and the unknown was incredibly scary. We were sent to a specialist who then referred us to the Fetal Center in Houston. At our consultation, we were told we would need ... Read more

Being away from home during the holidays can be hard. For us, the holiday season is usually marked with festive gatherings with friends, visits with extended family in the midwest, and traditions around putting up our outdoor lights, playing in the snow, and eating far too many Christmas cookies. When we found out in October ... Read more

Project Joy & Hope has been a Godsend for my family and me. My husband and I found out that our unborn son was diagnosed with a right sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (RCDH). We had no idea where to even start when looking at places to relocate. We knew we would be relocating to Houston ... Read more

Good afternoon Ms. Jan, I hope this message finds you keeping well – has been some time since we have been in communication so I thought I would give you a brief update – my son Rory Payden McLemore celebrated his second lung transplant anniversary this past October the second – we are all extremely ... Read more

Good evening PJH family! Tonight as Tyler and I took our first walk outside since discharge, it was honor for me to have him next to the entrance. I started to get emotional with the writing on the entrance sign as always and looking at him smile at me as if he knew what PJH has ... Read more

Dear Jan and PJH Friends, I have started this email several times and just can’t find the right words to express the gratitude that I have towards all of you. When I first arrived at your facility, I was scared of all the changes and unknowns to follow in our future.  After visiting with you and meeting ... Read more

My experience with Project joy and hope have been incredible one. Everyone that is a part of this wonderful organization / family are the most amazing, selfless, caring, loving people you will ever meet. I feel so blessed to have met each of them and for Jan for making this possible. They all work so ... Read more

Project Joy and Hope has been a godsend for us and we are so grateful for such a wonderful organization! My son, Cristiano, received a life-saving bone marrow transplant and afterward, we had to spend the first 100 days staying in the Houston area, away from our home, so that we could have regular clinic ... Read more

Thank you PROJECT JOY AND HOPE Our girl is making strides and is doing awesome !! You all where there in her darkest days, and played a huge part in her healing process. Today she is in full remission, and back on the Volleyball court and back in Band, and doing volunteer work for the ... Read more

Project Joy and Hope has been heaven sent to our family. They have made us feel so comfortable here and they are like family to us. I can’t thank them enough for helping our family during these hard times. Cathy Falcon

Dear Dr. Wheeler, Shelley, and Chris and Project Joy and Hope friends, Our family is truly grateful for the amazing heart you and your staff have, to make this place a home for all these families. My son and I traveled from Florida looking for a cure for my son’s AML leukemia. In Florida, everything ... Read more

To all of the sponsors, volunteers, and Project Joy and Hope. My family and I want to say thank you for all of the amazing things each and every one of y’all have done for us. For all of the love and support that we have gotten from this wonderful organization. My son Thomas is ... Read more

Dear PJH Friends, Dr. Jan Wheeler, Shelley and Chris, Project Joy and Hope is a beautiful place. It’s like a home away from home. I am truly grateful and thankful for your generosity. If it wasn’t for you all, I don’t know how I would deal with this challenging time. You are truly a blessing ... Read more

Dear Project joy and Hope Our daughter Elliana Sofia Jasso was diagnosed with Pulmonary atresia at twenty weeks uretro. We were devastated to say the least, uncertain of what the future held for her or us. We were then told that she would need to be delivered at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston Tx because ... Read more

To everyone at Project Joy and Hope, THANK YOU! I don’t know that those words will ever be enough, but from the bottom of our hearts, again, thank you. In a time of fear and worry, you provided my family a safe place to stay while my son received treatment. Not only did you give ... Read more

Dear Dr. Wheeler and Project Joy and Hope Team, I want to express to you the gratitude my mother, my daughter and I have for the amazing service Project Joy and Hope has offered my family. We have been away from our home for now 6 months. Four of those six months were spend in ... Read more

To everyone at Project Joy & Hope: We cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to stay here. During our darkest days we were able to come home and find a sense of peace. Being away from home and our “normal” life wouldn’t been so tough but moving here and instantly feeling at home in ... Read more

Dear Project Joy & Hope, In early 2017 my then 9-year-old daughter and I came to Houston, Texas (where she was listed for a double lung transplant) with no permanent place to stay. For several months we bounced around between hospitality housing, apartments, and hotels. By the grace of God, we were led to Project ... Read more

Dear Dr. Jan Wheeler and Project Joy & Hope, I want to take this time and say a very special thank you to everyone involved with Project Joy & Hope. Giving my family a home during a challenging time in our lives was the biggest blessing ever. When Isabella was first diagnosed with Rhabdomysarcoma Stage ... Read more

Radley was born in May of 2013, and he had the biggest feet any of the doctors or nurses had ever seen on a newborn. He was perfect and beautiful and we were scared. “How are we going to take care of this tiny little person?” Melissa and I wondered. We shouldn’t have worried, Radley ... Read more

Tulip Project, Our Home Away From Home In 2016 when our daughter Adrianna was diagnosed with PPFE (a form of Pulmonary Fibrosis) we were told she was going to need a double lung transplant. We started searching for the best hospital pediatric lung transplant programs and we came across Texas Children’s Hospital. After researching our ... Read more

Project Joy and Hope, When my daughter was diagnosed with HLHS, a congenital heart disease, we knew we were in for a lifetime of hospitals and medical procedures. After her first heart surgery, we needed a place in the Houston area for our whole family to be able to stay together and have somewhat of ... Read more

Dear Staff, Thank you for letting us stay here while AJ is with. And thank you for Sibshop. I look forward to go every month. I enjoy how we can talk to other people about our sibling and how they can relate to it. I also enjoy all of the activities that we do. Thank ... Read more

Jan, Chris and Everyone at Project Joy & Hope, I know this letter comes late but I want to say thank you for all you did for my family while were were in the Houston area. Going into Parker’s bone marrow transplant, I was scared. Never having gone through anything quite so difficult I was ... Read more

Our family is blessed to have found Project Joy & Hope during the toughest time in our lives. Dealing with your child having to go through a bone transplant is a very scary thing. Add to that stress of being away from home, and not knowing where we would stay for the duration of this ... Read more

Hello, my name is Cynthia Deville. I have been commuting to Houston for 2 years due to my 2 year old receiving treatment and follow up care for a brain tumor that originally was found at only one day of age. One year ago we were told were we expecting our youngest son, Anderson. While ... Read more

Being at Project Joy and Hope as been such an amazing blessing from the very beginning. Our daughter, River Joy, is 13 and has been fighting cancer for 5 years; this is her 3rd cancer relapse. When we first heard about the opportunity to come to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas for an experimental ... Read more

Project Joy & Hope Staff, Please let me start off by saying, “there are truly not enough words to express to you the greatness of your organization!” My son and I have not been here long, but immediately upon arriving from Michigan felt at ease. Dr. Jan Wheeler is an absolute GEM! For those of ... Read more