Our Family: After being diagnosed with a rare terminal illness in 2003, Kristen Milligan searched for children’s literature to help her children -- Ashlea (then four years old), Luke (two), and Rebecca (seven months).  Unable to find anything that met their needs, she decided to write her own book.  The result was A Train’s Rust, A Toy Maker’s Love, the story of a train family whose mother begins to rust, prompting questions of the toy maker about what will happen next.  Kristen endured her disease for nearly ten years, including six surgeries, twenty-two months of chemotherapy, two rounds of radiation, and two more books.  She died on October 26, 2012.

Other Families: Kristen and her husband, Deric, expanded the concept in May 2007 by founding Inheritance of Hope, a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity with the vision that "Every Family Deserves a Legacy."® The organization began selling Kristen's books, and in August 2008 Inheritance of Hope hosted its first all-expenses-paid Legacy Retreat® in Lake George, New York.

Moving Forward: Inheritance of Hope continues to expand its offerings to young families facing the life-threatening illness of a parent.  While you're here, click the menu links above and below to explore who we are and what we have to offer!