“A home was the first thing Abbey asked for when Make-A-Wish granted her a wish. It’s up to me to get it done.”

Cynthia Thompson and her 10-year-old daughter Abbey are on their journey towards their forever home. Cynthia is a Park Ranger at Fort Desoto Park who loves to cook up a good meal for her friends and family. Her jerk chicken, meatballs, and smoked salmon are some of her specialties! Abbey loves anything to do with animals, reading, and playing on her iPad. The mother-daughter duo love the outdoors and frequently participate in biking, hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, and caring for nature.

The family of two have been struggling ever since moving into Cynthia’s parents house after her mother suffered from a stroke over seven years ago. “I needed my mom’s help as much as she needed ours.” Abbey was also diagnosed with cancer at a young age, which added to the struggle. “I was looking for a place when abbey’s cancer hit. Everything hit a brick wall.” Abbey recently won her battle with cancer and is finally cancer-free, but struggled with being in and out of the hospital for nine months. “She had four surgeries and four week long rounds of three types of chemo. It was rough and moving into my own place didn’t seem realistic.”

After hearing the news that they were accepted into the program, the family was overjoyed. “I was pretty blown away when I found out we were accepted. Homeownership was beginning to seem completely out of reach. Now it more than seems like a possibility. It’s going to be a reality. ”

Cynthia encourages anyone looking to apply to the Habitat program to never give up. “It’s possible. Roll up your sleeves and step out of your comfort zone. Every step is a step further. There will be times you’re completely overwhelmed, but if we can go from cancer within a pandemic to impending homeownership within a year… you can do this!”

Cynthia has only completed sweat equity hours online so far, but is very excited to begin working onsite. She is already a pro at doing handy work, as she always has her hammer and drill on hand. “I’m a bit of a odd ball and love to paint. I’ll be ready to get my hands dirty well after my home is built.”

The Thompson Family is very excited about moving into their forever home. Cynthia is ready to have a yard of her own that she can mow and plant a garden – the more work the better! “I look forward to having projects and a work space to do them in. Abbey has never had her own room or bathroom. That’s what she’s excited about. ”

“Home is where we begin our future.”

The Thompson Family Home was dedicated on November 19th, 2021 and was sponsored by the Fishman Family Foundation.