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Mostly Cloudy Lynbrook woman helps to make wishes come true
Student who survived brain surgery now works to help others
When then Lynbrook High School senior Rebecca Oliveri was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain disease in 2007 at age 17, she and her family were in dire need of some good news. That was when the Make-A-Wish Foundation stepped up and gave her a memorable eight-day trip to Paris.
This summer, Oliveri, now 22 and disease-free, is the one helping to provide pick-me-ups to children in need, working as a summer intern for Make-A-Wish.
“I knew I wanted to help children, so I figured, why not go back to somebody that has helped you?” she said. “I wanted to do something with nonprofits, and of course Make-A-Wish was first on my list because they had personally helped me.”
Oliveri said she had been trying to figure out a career path since she started classes at the University of Albany in 2008. She’s now heading into her senior year. After considering careers in medicine, education and law, she finally settled on one of her core values: helping others in need.
She applied to Make-A-Wish online and was interviewed twice before she was told that the internship was hers. “I was sort of in disbelief fora little while,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it was me who got the position.” She now works in the organization’s Special Events department.
After being told five years ago that she had arteriovenous malformation — an abnormal tangle of blood vessels in the brain — Oliveri had successful laser brain surgery. She went on to graduate from high school in 2008, and has been disease-free ever since.
Since she came home from Albany in May for summer break, Oliveri has been working in Make-A-Wish’s office in Lake Success three times a week. One of her favorite parts of the job is meeting with children who come in for interviews.
“Some of the things the kids say are so adorable, and it’s so heartwarming to know that you’ve changed a child’s life,” she said. “Even when you know the child might not make it, at least you know that you’ve helped them in their last few days and have given them some encouragement and happiness.”
