Life was normal and happy before it happened to us. The sudden onset of a child's life-threatening diagnosis is devastating; 24/7 care and hardship became our way of life. In a blink of an eye, our world was turned upside down. We became parents of a critically ill child. As loving parents of our son, we never ceased in our journey to find a cure and support for our son Mitchell. 78% of families whose child is diagnosed with critical illness experience divorce or separation; and the stress will test these families beyond their endurance often, often bankrupting them financially, emotionally and physically. Our son fought a courageous battle with an undiagnosed illness that took our family across the United States looking for answers, putting our family in debt over $100,000 in medical expenses, even with good insurance. Things became worse after our 5-year long journey nearly bankrupted us. Unfortunately, our son succumbed to his illness at the age of 18. Inspired by love from our community, Mitchell’s spirit, and our unshakable faith, we formed the Mitchell Thorp Foundation in 2009 in our son’s memory, to help other children & families who face the heartbreaking journey of caring for their critically ill child. We have seen measurable success in our programs including a 100% success rate in keeping a roof overhead, the lights on, food on the table and most importantly keeping the families together so they do not end in divorce or separation. Time after time, families tell us, “Mitchell Thorp Foundation has been our lifeline when we needed it most.”Your dedicated support is making the difference in the lives of children & families. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. - Brad