About Us

Our Story

Wonders & Worries was opened in 2001 in Austin, Texas by two certified child life specialists, Meredith Cooper and Melissa (Missi) Hicks. Both women had experience working with pediatric patients in children’s hospitals. Meredith was the first pediatric oncology child life specialist in Austin at Children’s Hospital of Austin and Missi relocated to Austin after working with children who had cancer at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston – Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.

Through their work, Meredith and Missi became aware of the incredible need to offer developmental and coping support to children and families struggling with parental illness or injury. Children were often left alone wondering, “Why is mom losing her hair?” or worrying, “Did I cause mom to get cancer?” Often parents, out of misguided concern for their child, hesitated to tell their child about their diagnosis and treatment. They lacked the words to offer age-appropriate information and support for their child’s developmental wonders and worries.

Meredith and Missi shared the vision that community based, child life services for children and families with parental illness were needed not only in Austin but throughout the nation and world. While Missi relocated to Atlanta in 2003 and ultimately Raleigh, she remained an ex officio board member with Meredith continuing as executive director. Many board members, donors, and volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure that Wonders & Worries was able to grow and expand to meet the ever-growing need of new families.

A second East Austin office was added in 2006, allowing for a greater outreach to underserved and bilingual families. An additional north Austin location was added in 2011, with a Williamson County office opening in the Fall of 2016. Additional locations were added in San Antonio in 2017 and in Houston beginning in 2020. Through its large catalog of parental and professional resources delivered over innovative technology platforms, network of providers, and own locations across Texas, Wonders & Worries is now able to help children and families in need nationally, fulfilling a long-standing dream of its founders.