On April 6, 2010, Dream Foundation, a national wish-granting organization for adults in the end stages of life, will fulfill Jettie Patton’s lifelong dream to meet celebrity makeup artist, Bobbi Brown.
Patton, a North Carolina native, will spend three days in New York where she and her mother will get a tour of the Bobbi Brown studios, receive makeovers, participate in a professional photo shoot with photographer, Ben Ritter, and create their own signature lip glosses with Brown and her product development team.
“It is an honor for us to be part of this dream,” says Brown. “Our philosophy has always been that beauty is about feeling good and celebrating individuality. Jettie deserves to feel good. Her strength, courage and character should be celebrated. Her beauty is what inspires us,” adds Brown.
Patton’s mother, Janice Patton, personally wrote to Dream Foundation in January with the 25-year-old’s dream to meet Brown. “She’s always been the type of girl who loves to get fixed up; loves makeup and clothes,” says Patton’s mother in her handwritten letter to Dream Foundation. “Before anything else happens, I would really appreciate it if you could grant Jettie some time where she can forget about all her aches and pains and just have fun,” she added.
Patton is no stranger to aches and pains. As a small child she faced liver disease. Although she remained under doctors’ care most of her life, Patton beat the odds with a successful liver transplant at the age of five. Nearly 20 years later, in 2008, doctors discovered a tumor on Patton’s brain stem. Her liver began to fail as a result. After a month in the hospital, Patton had to re-learn to walk, talk, and eat. Although she’s shown progress in her recent recovery, Patton’s doctors have given her a very limited prognosis.
Dream Foundation Founder, Thomas Rollerson, reflects on Patton’s dream. “A women in her twenties is typically preparing for her future career. Jettie’s full-time job has been battling brain cancer. We so appreciate Bobbi Brown and our dream partners for allowing Jettie a chance to experience her dream job,” adds Rollerson.
This year, Dream Foundation will fulfill its 10,000th dream for adults battling life-threatening illnesses. As one of the only organizations that grants wishes to adults, its dream recipients are 18-years or older, have been given a year or less prognosis, and meet certain financial criteria, ensuring resources are allocated to those who would not otherwise be able to afford their dreams.
“By showcasing the beauty of Jettie and her final dream, we hope to generate more awareness of Dream Foundation’s mission so that we can fulfill 10,000 more dreams in the years to come,” adds Rollerson.
ABOUT DREAM FOUNDATION
The mission of Dream Foundation is to enhance the quality of life for individuals and their families battling life-threatening illness. With approximately 1,600 dream requests annually, Dream Foundation relies on donations of cash, airline miles and other resources to make many of their dreams come true. For more information visit www.dreamfoundation.org or call (805) 564-2131.
