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BBGH, Make-a-Wish Partnership Grants Wish of Rushville Child

Breanna “Bree” Lovell of Rushville with her favorite basketball player Jordan Hooper during the Make-A-Wish/BBGH Pep Rally held April 25.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation’s mission statement is to “grant wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.” This describes Breanna Lovell’s experience on April 25th of this spring.

Bree, a resident of Rushville, was diagnosed with Immature Teratoma of the Ovary when she was 11. This is a rare form of ovarian cancer with a survival rate prognosis of 35%. It generally affects girls and young women. Now 12, Bree has undergone radiation and a procedure to remove one of her ovaries.

In order to be eligible to be granted a wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, there are a few guidelines to follow. The child must be between the ages of two and a half to eighteen years old and have not received a wish from another organization. The child must also be referred by a physician to determine medical eligibility. They are eligible if they have been diagnosed with a disease that is life threatening.

Box Butte General Hospital (BBGH) was asked to partner with Make-A-Wish Nebraska by becoming a corporate grantor and to help plan a send-off prior to her and her family’s adventure to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. They kept in mind Bree’s favorite sport: basketball. She enjoys watching it, especially when her idol, Alliance native Jordan Hooper, played for the Nebraska Huskers women’s basketball team. Her love of basketball spawned the idea of throwing a pep-rally themed send-off, according to BBGH Chief Operating Officer Lori Mazanec.  “Everything just fell into place, with a number of school organizations offering to help when they learned of the pep-rally,” she said.

The stars were perfectly aligned when planning the send-off, as Hooper would be in town on a break after a stellar season overseas in Istanbul, Turkey and before she departed for Tulsa, OK to further her professional career with the WNBA.

The send-off was at 10:00am Saturday, April 25 at the Alliance Middle School gymnasium. Featured at the send-off were the Alliance High School girls’ basketball team, the Alliance Middle School pep band, and the Alliance High School cheerleaders. Hooper made a guest appearance at the event to surprise Bree.  The basketball team did warm-up drills while the band performed, adding to the pep rally-like atmosphere. The entire community was invited to share the experience with Bree, and was also encouraged to donate towards Bree’s medical costs as well.

Bree’s parents, Ryan and Stephanie Lovell, are originally from Alliance. The couple was on hand at the pep rally and expressed their appreciation for everything their “hometown” did for their daughter.

Bree walked out of the gymnasium with a few keepsakes to remember the day. Hooper presented her with a signed Husker basketball jersey. Mike Peltz, former Husker men’s basketball player and Alliance native, was unable to attend, but provided a T-shirt and signed poster. She received a “Basketball Player of the Year” banner from BBGH and Make-A-Wish. Bree and her sister also received practice jerseys from the Alliance High School girls’ basketball team. Also contributing was Just Shoot Me Photography for recording the event, and Frosted for their cupcakes. Other contributors were Alliance Public Schools, The Angel Patch, Alliance Grocery Kart, and local Make-A-Wish volunteers led by Karen Kelly.
 

Bree and her family returned from their trip to Atlantis Resort in early June, greeted by a billboard message in Alliance from BBGH and Make-A-Wish Nebraska welcoming them home from their trip.

This is the fourth year BBGH has agreed to be a corporate grantor to Make-A-Wish Nebraska. “The reason is simple,” said hospital CEO Dan Griess. “The Make-A-Wish program provides a child and the immediate family a few days of relief from the stress and worry that accompanies a life threatening illness. Being able to help an organization whose mission is to provide hope, strength and joy to children in our service area dovetails perfectly with BBGH’s mission to lead and innovate in healthcare delivery and community wellness. We’re happy to continue to support Make-A-Wish Nebraska in granting the wish of a child from the Panhandle.”

For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Nebraska, visit their website at http://nebraska.wish.org. If you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, you are welcome to attend BBGH’s monthly Cancer Support Group, with the upcoming meeting on Thursday, July 16 at 2 PM at BBGH. Box Butte General Hospital is an equal opportunity provider and employer.