Meet people who make inspiring hope possible!
In these days of uncertainty and limited social interaction, you might find yourself frustrated by the way your life has changed over the past few weeks (or even days). Those of us with ALS or other debilitating diseases get it. But if we can adapt, you can too!
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| The Douglas family made lifelong memories on their Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreat® in May 2017 |
11 new volunteers joined the IoH family to take a bite out of the Big Apple during our recent Inheritance of Hope Legacy RetreatⓇ in NYC. Meet a few of them here!
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| Front row (l to r): Libby Storm, Anneli Shaw, Baylie McClafferty, Katie Atwater Middle row (l to r): Jensi Shaw, Jennifer Weitz, Claire Weitz, Jane Augur Back row (l to r): Nick Ranieri, Charlie Garrison, Roger Lykins |
As a fourteen-year-old high school freshman, Ethan Harned emptied his savings, not to buy video games or the latest Nike Air Force Ones, but to support a charity he had only just learned about. It has been two years now since Ethan met Carrey Dewey, a young mother living with ALS whose family was greatly impacted by Inheritance of Hope. And since then, Ethan has been on a mission to make a difference.
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| High-schooler Ethan Harned makes a difference beyond his home in Louisville, Kentucky |
Jake Anderson can’t describe his wife Becky without mentioning her smile, “You don't have to say anything else--you could just see her smile.” That smile was a window into how Becky lived with her metastatic breast cancer diagnosis amidst raising three young children.
According to Jake, Becky was always hopeful, and while he can't pinpoint exactly how she maintained her hope and faith, he does have a name for it, “I think if you knew her, well, there was a grace about her. She would put everyone else at ease,” he says. “It felt like everything was ok because she was ok. She made it easy for everybody and always looked on the bright side--right from the beginning. I think the word for her is grace,” he pauses, “and then, there was the smile.”
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| Becky’s bright smile showed her love for life |
Two weeks before Kendra Scott’s company-wide event, Ally Dee knew Holley Day was “something big.” As a Kendra Scott sales associate, Ally especially enjoyed meeting guests and welcoming nonprofits that benefit from the jewelry designer’s generous philanthropy. Holley Day would prove to be even more than she expected.
Ally remembers, “The energy that day was different. Kendra Scott stores have a lot of events, but we all knew this was special. I always liked talking to the people who came in from different organizations and learning about what they do, so I started talking to the Inheritance of Hope rep, not really thinking it was going to be this big. I’m glad I did!”
As a young widow raising five children, Andrea Albanese wants her late husband Jim to be remembered and acknowledged. “Culturally, we are afraid of grief and afraid to say the name of the person who passed away,” she laments. “People might drop off a casserole and run. But, I would say to please talk about my husband with my kids. They want to hear about their father. He is still part of our lives.”
And that is exactly why a special gift created just for Andrea made such an impression on her last October.
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| Andrea and Jim shortly before he passed away |
Of all the things Holley Kitchen wanted to be—wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend—the role she is most widely known for is something no one wants to be: the face of metastatic breast cancer. Like most true heroes, Holley was an ordinary woman facing extraordinary circumstances. How she soared beyond those confines will forever define her as a champion of this disease.
Holley Kitchen battled metastatic breast cancer before losing her fight in 2016. She put her family first. She adored her two sons, Bryson and Colby, and made the most of her time with them. She learned to live intentionally and inspired those around her to do the same. Holley’s sister and friends share some things for the boys to know about who their mom was.
Inheritance of Hope spoke with two of Holley Kitchen’s sisters, Missy Hobbs and Teri Larcom. They shared with us three pieces of advice based on how Holley lived out her last months. Holley battled metastatic breast cancer and passed away in January 2016. She serves on as a champion for researching a cure and building an intentional legacy. We celebrate her on "Holley Day", October 13.
When Jen Roett saw Kendra Scott’s metastatic breast cancer necklace charm set on Instagram, “I was like, ‘done!’” she raves, “And I bought it as soon as it came out.” One-year-old daughter Kennedy loved it as much as mom, and when she reached in to get a closer look, pulled the necklace right off Jen’s neck.
Jen went to the Kendra Scott website to find out how she could get her brand-new jewelry repaired, stumbled upon the relationship between Kendra Scott and Inheritance of Hope, and she says, “I began hysterically sobbing, I was so moved.” The very next day, Jen signed up to volunteer on the February 2019 Legacy RetreatⓇ to Orlando, which was sponsored by Kendra Scott, for families affected by metastatic breast cancer.
