The Vara Family's Story

“We were doing everything we could just to survive,” says Laura Vara, mother of now 9-year-old Daniela and 20-year-old Luis. In December 2003, Laura was diagnosed with stage 3B breast cancer.

Laura and her husband Enrique made every attempt to keep things “normal” during Laura’s 4 ½-year battle with breast cancer – that is, as normal as it could be while Laura was driving back and forth between Austin and MD Anderson in Houston, and undergoing 18 rounds of chemotherapy, a mastectomy, and radiation.

While her son approached her illness with disbelief and an attitude of “If I don’t talk about it, it’s not happening,” her daughter fearfully clung to her, believing if Laura left her side she might never see her again.

Throughout Laura’s battle with breast cancer, her family stayed within their close-knit community, thinking “therapy” was not for them. But in 2007, nearly four years after the diagnosis, the Vara’s received an encouraging recommendation from a friend about an organization called Wonders & Worries. Laura and her husband didn’t know if Wonders & Worries would help a family who wasn’t “in the middle” of the illness, but they were gratified to learn that Wonders & Worries helps children at any stage of a parent’s illness – and at no cost.

Their lives changed dramatically. Almost immediately, Laura saw a notable transformation in Daniela, who proclaimed she wanted to see her Wonders & Worries Child Life Specialist, Jacquelyn Rebecek, every day. Over the course of about 10 sessions, Daniela grew from an anxious, fearful eight-year-old to a confident daughter with a new understanding and appreciation for what her mother had endured.

“The child life specialists reviewed my situation – my illness and my treatment. They were able to communicate with Daniela about it on her terms,” said Laura. “Wonders & Worries was so in tune to what Daniela needed. She began talking with us about things she just couldn’t discuss before. The program is phenomenal.”

“Wonders & Worries went above and beyond, even offering to go to Daniela’s school for the counseling sessions,” said Laura.

Wonders & Worries continues to offer the Vara family support, even though Daniela’s individual sessions with Jacquelyn have ended. Daniela plans to attend monthly group sessions with other children who share the same challenging bond of dealing with a parent living with a serious illness.

“There is nothing I wouldn’t do to support Wonders & Worries,” said Laura. “I feel that – no matter the outcome of my journey – my daughter will always have somewhere to connect and someone to talk to who understands. Wonders & Worries is now a part of my family. That’s how important they are to us.”

“I truly am a walking miracle with an amazing story to tell,” said Laura. “We are eternally grateful to Wonders & Worries and the amazing opportunity they have given us."