Today we’d like to introduce you to Ann Townsend.
Hi Ann, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
My story started over three decades ago with the birth of my daughter Hannah. Hannah was born with a rare liver disease and required my constant care.
Many years later Hannah was blessed with a liver transplant. This was life-changing for her, and for me too. I had been her primary caregiver, and she no longer needed me.
My journey caring for Hannah left me with a deep empathy for the unique challenges faced by parents of children with chronic illnesses and special needs. It can be lonely, it’s exhausting, and you rarely give yourself permission for self-care.
A year after Hannah’s second transplant, I started the Grant a Dream Foundation so we could bless children with chronic illnesses and special needs with happy and hopeful parents. We do this by providing all-expense paid respite trips for these parents so they can rest, recharge, and rekindle their relationships.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Our journey has been mostly smooth. Little by little, we found our way. It was eye-opening at the same time because we didn’t know what we didn’t know. We persevered through this by following the lessons I learned from years of self-development work: get help early and find experts to lead you.
In our first year, we provided three Dreams. Six years in, this year, we provided seventy-three Dreams with a goal of 250 Dreams next year.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Grant a Dream Foundation?
At Grant a Dream, we’re committed to blessing children with chronic illnesses or special needs with happy and hopeful parents.
How do we do this? Every year, we select parents who are caring for a child who needs constant care and has not had a break from the stress for years.
These parents receive a Dream Come True respite getaway so they can rejuvenate, recharge, and rekindle their relationship, and return to their children with newfound energy and love.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting.
Focus on growing yourself. I had a coach to help walk me through many of the challenges. He also kept me accountable.
Go after a big dream too, something that scares you, makes you worry you can’t do it. It’s the big dream that has moved us forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.grantadream.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/grantadream_foundation
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/grantadreamfoundation
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCt4hQn-IL59DRaOdfiUIZYw
