A 17-year-old girl got a dream “Grey’s Anatomy” tour and the chance to meet her onscreen idol, “Grey’s” lead Ellen Pompeo, thanks to the TV show and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Michigan teen Isabelle “Izzy” Hoffman got an all-access tour of the long-running hit show’s Hollywood studio along with her family. During the tour, she met Pompeo and other cast members, including James Pickens Jr. (the chief), Chandra Wilson (Dr. Miranda Bailey), Kelly McCreary (Dr. Maggie Pierce), Jaicy Elliot (Dr. Taryn Helm) and Giacomo Gianniotti (Dr. Andrew DeLuca).
Izzy (no, not that Izzie) even got to wear her own doctor’s scrubs, coat and personalized ID badge, go behind-the-scenes to see wardrobe, props and other departments, call “action” during the filming of one scene, and bear witness to a few plot and prop spoilers.
The #GreysAnatomy team partnered with @MakeAWish to fulfill a wish of meeting @ellenpompeo! Every year Disney helps grant more than 10,000 wishes, delivering comfort and inspiration to families around the world. #DisneyTeamofHeroes #GreysAnatomy pic.twitter.com/bebs0Xk5On
— Grey's Anatomy (@GreysABC) March 10, 2019
In one funny moment captured in a video of Izzy’s “Grey’s” visit, the show’s prop master, Ryan Blank, asks Izzy — who’s holding a prop syringe — if that’s her brother standing next to her. When she says yes, he says, “Stab him!” and she grins and plays along.
“I started watching the show four years ago when I got really sick and I didn’t go to school because I was so sick,” Izzy told “Good Morning America.” “It was a really cool way for me to be able to escape the frustrations of the life I was living.”
Izzy suffers from Wilson’s disease, an uncommon genetic disorder wherein one’s body doesn’t remove copper efficiently, which can cause potentially life-threatening issues. She hopes to be a doctor herself someday, and also wants to raise awareness around Wilson’s disease so that people get treatment more quickly.
Make-A-Wish/Disney grant wishes to children with serious illnesses like Izzy’s. “Grey’s Anatomy” has been a big supporter of the foundation’s efforts, granting 17 wishes in its 15 years on air, according to an E! News article.
We hope Izzy continues to dream big!