Our Story

History and Inspiration
All of us know someone who has been diagnosed with cancer. Do you remember the moment when you
found out about that loved-one or friend’s diagnosis? Try to remember the shock and overwhelming sense
of fear you probably felt. Now imagine the person you are told that has cancer is YOUR OWN CHILD.
Magnify all those feelings and fears a thousand times. Add on top of that, quitting your job, living in a 10’ x
12’ hospital room for months, trying to financially support your family while not working, and re-arranging
living situations and day-care for other children. It is an awful, upside down turning, life-altering event.
However, as parents, we will do EVERYTHING and ANYTHING to save our children.

We, Art and Roze Wille, have been those parents. Now, we have teamed up with Sweet Nectar Society to
start “The Sweet Eats Program, In Memory of Hendrix Wille”. Hendrix was our 3 year-old son, whom was
diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia at the age of 2. He underwent multiple rounds of intensive
chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and then his leukemia relapsed 4 months after transplant. After
running out of medical treatment options, he was taken home to run, play, travel, and enjoy life. “Hendo”,
as we called him, died at home surrounded by his loved ones on April 16, 2013.

We learned during our long journey with Hendrix, that many families in the hospital often have little nearby
support, little money, little access to food, sometimes do not eat for days, and become socially isolated
while their children are being treated for serious illnesses. We decided we wanted to comfort these
families by providing a comfortable space where they can get free food and drinks and congregate with
other parents for support. We also want to ease the burden of doing small tasks (like laundry, grocery
shopping, and making dinner) so families can focus on spending time and energy loving their children.