Sowing Seeds of Hope and Healing

by Emma Dixon

Scouting’s time-honored motto, Be Prepared, is more than a maxim for Haley Hines of Oviedo. It’s a guiding principle that the 18-year-old has lived by since childhood. 

Haley, who graduated from Hagerty High School in May, is a survivor of pediatric brain cancer. She also recently became an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Scouting America – earned by only four percent of Scouts nationwide.

“My Eagle service project was important to me and has been a big milestone in my journey,” says Haley. “I’m proud to have accomplished it.”

Paying It Forward

Yet this achievement isn’t just about reaching another milestone – it has also been a chance to give back to the medical community that saved her life. Haley’s Eagle Scout project, Sowing to Heal, is designed to bring comfort and a sense of calmness to families staying at the Ronald McDonald House on Alden Road in Orlando – a place for families to stay while their child is receiving medical treatment.

Inspired by crafting and other activities that helped her cope during long hospital stays as a child, Haley created an interactive indoor garden to encourage young patients and their families to grow herbs and flowers. Her goal is to offer kids and their families precious moments of peace and connection in the midst of their treatment turmoil.

The completed Eagle Scout project includes seed kits, planters, growing instructions, and a small garden station inside the Ronald McDonald House, where families can plant and nurture their own greenery.

Haley’s own cancer journey began when she was diagnosed at the age of two with medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor affecting balance, muscles, and movement. After undergoing surgery in Orlando, she was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee for further treatment that included chemotherapy and radiation. About six months later, little Haley had a second brain surgery after her cancer recurred. 

Against All Odds

During the aggressive rounds of treatment, doctors warned Haley’s parents that their daughter would very likely experience cognitive challenges that could affect her ability to attend school and be a functioning adult. Fortunately, Haley defied the odds. She not only returned home from St. Jude in time to start kindergarten but has since thrived academically and personally.

“I remember painting and growing plants during treatments at St. Jude,” says Haley. “It helped distract me from what I was going through. Sowing to Heal was not only aimed to help and give back to the community that helped save my life, it also helped me develop essential leadership skills.”

Haley’s involvement in Scouting America began in middle school, after a presentation piqued her interest in the organization. Initially drawn in by the promise of camping and outdoor fun, she soon found herself stepping into leadership roles in Scouts and beyond. At Hagerty, Haley served as company commander in JROTC (Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) and was crowned Military Ball Queen her junior year.

Thanks largely to Scouting, says Haley, “I was able to become more confident and participate in high-adventure activities that otherwise, I would have never done.”

Haley has been tumor free for 13 years running and is a participant in St. Jude’s LIFE program, which monitors post-treatment effects on patients. She lives in Oviedo with parents Thomas and Katie and three siblings, Emma (13), Madison (9), and Jacob (7). Her parents both work in medical fields – Thomas as a physician assistant at an orthopedic center and Katie as a nurse at AdventHealth Winter Park.

Looking to the Future

Next, Haley plans to attend Seminole State College to earn an associate degree in business before transferring to the University of Central Florida to continue her studies.

Her father is proud of Haley’s accomplishments but not at all surprised by her determination and expanding list of achievements.

“I hope that Haley’s story can provide a sense of hope for families going through similar adversities,” says Thomas. “My daughter is an amazing woman.”

Haley’s journey from a young patient at St. Jude Hospital to an Eagle Scout who serves her community is nothing short of remarkable. She has grown into a symbol of strength and service – and the Ronald McDonald House is blooming because of it.