Hope Wells was recognized and beloved for her efforts to uplift and inspire others around her, regardless of what life threw at her. In 2018, Wells was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and fought the good fight against her illness. Weeks before she died in 2022, her father, Michael Wells, helped her fulfill her dreams of creating the nonprofit Hope for Hope, which helps to support others with leukemia.
Michael and his daughter, Faith Wells, spoke with rolling out about the organization Hope for Hope.
Tell us about Hope for Hope.
Michael Wells: Hope for Hope is a nonprofit that was started in 2020. Our daughter, Hope Wells, came down with AML leukemia. We found out about this type of leukemia and we began to be an asset and advocate in relationships with other people and speaking hope into their lives for those who were also battling cancer. From that, we created Hope for Hope, which came out of a word of encouragement to speak hope, even to Hope.
Now people who are impacted by cancer, or fighting to survive, we look to support them, we come alongside and also advocate, and we aim to be advocates to people of color in relationship with cancer, seeing all that happens, what they can go through, or what they’re not aware of in the tunnel that [they] could be in.
Faith Wells: My sister created the organization because she truly cared about being a voice and advocate for cancer patients. She knew what it was [like] to go through cancer herself and knew what was needed as a result. This nonprofit helps support cancer patients and their families, giving them all the tools that they need so that they can battle [with] encouragement and resources and just have the help that they need to get through this.
What steps would you tell somebody with leukemia to take?
MW: One is prayer, and then the right doctor makes a difference. Get the right diagnosis, the right hospital, and also the opinions of other medical professionals who [are] familiar with your cancer, and have someone else to talk to because you could be dealing with something you or your family know nothing about.
Sometimes we are not looked at as we need to be looked at. There’s a medical treatment for better outcomes and what we see now is precision medicine. When I go in now, I don’t just go in. I go in knowing what’s going on and what needs to be done, and we’ve seen it with our daughter Hope while she was dealing with leukemia.
Where can people find you?
MW: Our website is www.hopeforhope.net and our Instagram is @hopeforhopenpo. We’re looking to build Hope for Hope housing, and we are in the process of putting together a Hope for Hope package.
