About

Year Founded: 2004

Founder: Ann Schrooten

Funding: This organization is seeking funds from contributions and grants.

Founder Profile: Ann and her husband, Mark, are the parents of four children. Their third child – their son, Jack, was born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Because of his disease, Jack suffered from severe muscle weakness that caused him to need a tracheostomy and the assistance of a ventilator to help him breathe. Jack was unable to walk or talk, he was fed through a feeding tube and he was dependent on others in every aspect of his life. On January 5, 2014, Jack passed away at the age of 15 years. Through her own experiences and in talking with other parents of medically fragile children, Ann understands the tremendous stresses placed on parents caring for children with complex medical needs.  Recognizing the need for parents to take “time out”, Ann founded The Willow Tree Foundation with the hope of making a small difference in the lives of these very special parents.  You can read more about Ann’s story on her Blog.