Diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, Anna Molloy spent more than two years of her life at Riley Hospital for Children. Her parents trained for six months to learn how to care for a child with a tracheotomy, feeding tube, oxygen and ventilator, in order to finally be able to bring Anna home.
Anna’s experience was the catalyst for Anna’s Celebration of Life Foundation, a nonprofit that provides life-enhancing gifts to Indiana children with special needs.
“Our existence is all because of one young Southside Indy girl named Anna Molloy, who lived at Riley Hospital for Children for more than two years before they could then identify her condition,” says Brad Haberman, director of Anna’s Celebration of Life Foundation. “Although we lost her at the age of 12 years old, the most important thing to her, while she was with us, was to help kids ‘celebrate their specialness.’ It’s also important to us that folks know we fill a big gap in the healthcare/insurance arena when politics, standard procedures and policies get in the way of a child getting what they need to thrive.”
How are you helping the special needs community in the Indianapolis area?
We provide life-enhancing gifts (equipment, tools and technology) to Indiana kids who are living with special needs. These gifts are provided when insurance won’t cover it and the need is beyond the financial reach of the family. The gifts are sometimes medically necessary or they are simply meant to deliver normalcy and independence and an overall better quality of life.
As we begin our 18th year serving Hoosier children with special needs, it’s our hope to be able to help even more children than ever. Right now, we strive to help 100 kids per year throughout the state.
What else should we know about Anna’s Celebration of Life Foundation?
We send Indiana kids with special needs and their immediate family (up to four people) to every Indianapolis Colts home game thanks to our friends at Jobsite Supply.
Anna’s other legacy is Anna’s House Multi-Service Center (also known as The Lord’s Pantry at Anna’s House) in the Stringtown community. This is a food pantry for the underserved. While this is the same Anna, it is a totally different organization with a separate mission.
For more information about Anna’s Celebration of Life Foundation, visit their website at acolf.org. Here, you will find more detailed information on upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, ways to donate and sponsor children, past and featured gift recipients, and more. If you are interested in applying for your child to be a recipient of a gift, you can visit the Anna’s Celebration of Life Foundation website for the application and guidelines.
