Inheritance of Hope Stories
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face We honor and remember our Co-Founder, Kristen Milligan, who passed away 11 years ago on October 26, 2012. Kristen lived intentionally and many lives continue to be impacted because of her. We’re honored to celebrate her…
Inheritance of Hope (IoH) supporter, Kathy Brice, is no stranger to the uncertainty of illness. She herself has faced a cancer diagnosis. Kathy was introduced to IoH at a friend’s gathering in her Golden Oak, FL neighborhood with IoH partner Kendra Scott. The IoH…
October 26th, 2023, marks the eleventh anniversary of Kristen’s death. She revised the letter below in February 2012. Dear loved ones, As I write this I admit feeling a little sad. Sad because my greatest earthly desire was to grow old with Deric … 17 years of…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face “Phenomenal experience. This was the first time in our journey that we could be in a setting filled with other families going through similar circumstances. We have made memories this weekend that will stay with us…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Today is Kendra Scott’s “Give Back” day! When you shop in-store or online at Kendra Scott today, 20% of your purchase “gives back” to the Kendra Scott Foundation supporting Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreats® in 2024. Our…
Originally posted in September 2019, we honor Tarah and the legacy she created for her family. Tarah passed away in October 2019, but used her time to live purposefully and give back to others facing what she faced. Tarah Harvey doesn’t beat around the bush, “I have…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Kendra Scott inspires hope in Inheritance of Hope families!Next Friday is Kendra Scott’s “Give Back” day! All in-store and online purchases at Kendra Scott on October 13 “gives back” to the Kendra Scott Foundation…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
When the Nguy family wasn’t able to attend Hope Hub™ – D.C. this summer, Hope Hub™ came to them!Serving Team members, Bonnie and Renee, spent the evening with the Nguy family in their home, sharing laughter, inspiring hope and delivering joy. Bonnie’s skills as…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face This Sunday is Grandparents Day! Be intentional this weekend as you spend time with yours or remember those who are missed. Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Enjoy the long weekend and make memories with your loved ones! Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face It feels good to be intentional. August is National “Make a Will” Month – a month focused on being intentional. As leaders in legacy development, Inheritance of Hope is all about being intentional. A legacy can be created…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Meet Andrea. She and her family of 7 were served at the Orlando Legacy Retreat® in May 2017. Her husband Jim passed away from multiple myeloma in August 2017 when her children were 4, 7, 9, 12, and 14. She admits that…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face At the February 2022 Hope@Home™ Weekend we unveiled a brand new video series to help kick off our special agent curriculum for families. Special Agent Buddy Tango, a.k.a. Super IoH volunteer Charlie Garrison was a huge hit…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face June 8 is Best Friends Day! Who is your best friend? Be intentional and show them some love! Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face National Legacy Day™ is May 21! Did you know? Kristen and Deric Milligan founded Inheritance of Hope (IoH) on May 21, 2007. Kristen faced a rare terminal illness and looked for resources for her family but surprisingly…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
Inheritance of Hope was founded in 2007 by Kristen and Deric Milligan, and although Kristen passed away in 2012, her legacy is timeless. I am a woman fighting a terminal diagnosis of stage 4 liver cancer. But this does not define me. I am also a wife and a mother…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face An IoH Board Member/family volunteer had just run back from the Grand Ole Opry at the Nashville Legacy Retreat® in July 2022 (it was very hot and humid) to get a replacement oxygen tank for a family. After retrieving the…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
On March 3-6, we welcome the newest Inheritance of Hope (IoH) families to our Orlando Legacy Retreat® presented by Kendra Scott. During the retreat, families facing the loss of a parent will create lasting memories at Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Universal Studios, gain…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A few days ago, I looked in the mirror and I hardly recognized the person standing before me. The lines on my face are deeper and are not as forgiving. My hair is fighting the aging process and gray wants to win this battle. My eyes seem tired and weary. The…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Like the Legacy Videos, this is a great way to connect with and bless your family when you’re gone…Or in my case, when you lose the ability to speak! Yesterday was my wife’s birthday. I gave her these pictures with the QR…
Hope. It was the one thing I searched for during my journey as a caregiver. My husband, Steve, had a rare, progressive, debilitating neurological disease that would eventually destroy his autonomic system and also required 24-hour care. Every time I came to that point…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Facebook Twitter Email Print
Meet the newest member of our staff, Olivia Blakeman! Olivia joins Inheritance of Hope as the Programming and Development Coordinator for Legacy Retreats®. Her personal experience, passion to serve families, and friendly personality make her a great addition to our…
Meet the newest member of our staff, Olivia Blakeman! Olivia joins Inheritance of Hope as the Programming and Development Coordinator for Legacy Retreats®. Her personal experience, passion to serve families, and friendly personality make her a great addition to our…
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face 23 smiles for 2023! Facebook Twitter Email Print
A 1-minute story to put a smile on your face Happy New Year! Be intentional in 2023 and make memories with your loved ones. Facebook Twitter Email Print
Ten years is a long time. Yet here we are. When we first lose a loved one, it is almost impossible to imagine what a decade without them would look like. In 2012, knowing she had just a short time to live, Kristen Milligan herself probably could not imagine what…
In early 2011, Kristen Milligan decided to write a Bible study. Not just any Bible study, but one that was designed to be completed over fifteen weeks and serve as an accompaniment to training for a marathon. Kristen saw a marathon as a metaphor for thriving while…
The IoH family has grown so much in the past ten years that many people never knew Kristen. Here are a few things we would like you to know. She was kind-hearted, and the picture of grace and humility. She always gave people the benefit of the doubt. She kept a…
Originally published in September 2020, Jen’s story continues to inspire us. When Jen Roett saw Kendra Scott’s metastatic breast cancer necklace charm set on Instagram, “I was like, ‘done!’” she raves, “And I bought it as soon as it came out.” One-year-old…
Originally posted in September 2019. Andrea now serves as an IoH volunteer at Hope Hub™ in DC and on Legacy Retreats®. Her heart to give back to other families is an inspiration. As a young widow raising five children, Andrea Albanese wants her late husband Jim to…
Originally posted in October 2019, we honor Ann and the legacy she created for her family. Ann passed away in July 2024, but used her time to live purposefully and give back to others facing what she faced. I didn’t know Holley Kitchen but I visualize her face when I…
On July 28-31, young families facing the loss of a parent attended Inheritance of Hope’s (IoH) Nashville Legacy Retreat® in partnership with the Tennessee Credit Union League (TCUL).During the Legacy Retreat®, families from around the country made lasting memories…
On July 28-31, we will welcome the newest IoH families to our Nashville Legacy Retreat® in partnership with the Tennessee Credit Union League (TCUL). The Tennessee Credit Union League was first introduced to Inheritance of Hope through Kim Bohannon, TCUL’s Chief…
On May 20-23, we welcomed our newest Inheritance of Hope families at our San Diego Legacy Retreat®. Families made priceless memories together as they enjoyed beach activities around Paradise Point Island Resort, and a day of fun at SeaWorld. Throughout the weekend,…
Raising teenagers is difficult enough. Trying to do so alone is downright exhausting. Add in the complications that come along with a pandemic, and the fact that single parenting is a result of losing your spouse, and well, things could seem near impossible. Some…
“You would look at her and think she’s just like the rest of us,” Dawn Billingslea says of her friend and former colleague Barbara Gulick, “But, she’s not like us at all. She is extraordinary.” Maybe it’s the kintsukuroi. Barbara Gulick’s life has been all about…
Inheritance of Hope (IoH) is expanding its offerings with the launch of its first Hope Hub™ in the Washington, D.C. area. Through local in-person support for young families facing the loss of a parent due to terminal illness, Hope Hub™ offers hope-inspired…
March 18, 2023 marks the 50th birthday of Inheritance of Hope Co-Founder Kristen Grady Milligan. Now, ten years after she passed away, many in our IoH family never knew Kristen. Instead, most of you only know of her as the loving mom who cemented her legacy in…
On March 4-7, we will welcome 42 young families facing the loss of a parent to our Orlando Legacy Retreat® presented by Kendra Scott. During this special weekend, diagnosed parents, their caregivers, and children will create lasting memories, learn strategies to help…
New Hope@Home™ Groups Coordinator Allie Jones always knew she wanted to be some sort of first responder. In college, she did patrol ride-alongs in preparation to become a police officer and also explored a career in the Coast Guard. But, as soon as she heard about…
Not only do we have a new staff member to introduce, but with the addition of Tessa Martinson to the Inheritance of Hope (IoH) team, we are also introducing a new offering–Hope Hubs™! Tessa will be leading IoH into new territory: ongoing in-person groups. “This…
Longtime Inheritance of Hope supporter Kara Durgin upped her involvement with the organization just as the pandemic struck. The two-time onsite retreat volunteer refused to be sidelined when service opportunities moved online, and instead showed up for our families…
Originally published in 2017, Heather’s perspective continues to be an encouragement. “What if this is our last Christmas together?” If someone in your family has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, this stomach-dropping, breath-stealing question has…
As we finish up our LiveWeak series, we thought you would be interested to hear how Kristen finished hers. You may remember that she began with the idea of providing a Bible study to go along with training for a marathon. At the time, she was weakened from surgery,…
“LiveWeak” was Kristen Milligan’s way of embracing the unwelcome truth that she was not in control. Most of us know this fact, yet we instinctively fight against it. Putting on a brave face, keeping a stiff upper lip, being self-sufficient, pushing through–all…
Dear IoH Family, We have come through a year and a half of tremendous change, which has been as invigorating as it has been challenging. We can all be rightly proud, as well as humbly grateful, for how we have innovated and adapted our methods while staying true to…
Inheritance of Hope scored a hole in one with the Tennessee Credit Union League–our newest partner in serving young families facing the loss of a parent. The TCUL has been around since 1934, and just recently held their 80th convention. This year, however, the…
Shelby Jo Lewis is no stranger to most of our Inheritance of Hope families. A 13-time Legacy Retreat® volunteer and our former social media intern, Shelby not only knows hundreds of IoH families, but she is part of one herself. So, when her name popped up on cards…
At Inheritance of Hope, we recently marked 14 years of serving families facing the loss of a parent. Deric Milligan, who Co-Founded IoH with his late wife Kristen, has been at the helm the entire time. Now, with confidence, Deric will transition into a different…
At Inheritance of Hope, we recently marked 14 years of serving families facing the loss of a parent. Deric Milligan, who Co-Founded IoH with his late wife Kristen, has been at the helm the entire time. Now, with confidence, Deric will transition into a different…
Back in 2019, we honored Anna Conti as she served on her twentieth retreat, (since then, she has logged seven more!) and now we celebrate Anna in a new position: Inheritance of Hope’s Marketing and Communications Coordinator. Yes–IoH is very lucky! Just shy of…
Kim Bohannon and her family were introduced to Inheritance of Hope just when they needed us most–on an IoH Legacy Retreat® in May 2015 when her husband was living with the terminal diagnosis of Multiple System Atrophy. The Bohannon family had very little time…
Tracy Ogden knows that if she can become a Legacy Builder, anyone can, “Until I committed to give monthly to Inheritance of Hope, I had never done anything like that before. Having the mindset of a divorced mom who raised two girls, I was always conscientious of a…
Take our word for it when we say you can’t find an easier person to talk to than Shelly Storm. That is exactly what filming a Legacy Video is–a conversation between friends–and we guarantee you will consider Shelly a friend within seconds. With her…
“Legacy Builder” describes Martha Tofteland perfectly. Not only did she help her late husband Ryan leave tangible evidence of his love for their young children, but she donates monthly to Inheritance of Hope so that other families might access the same resources that…
One thing our IoH families all have in common is the desire to help others on this same road, and to make the path easier where possible. Many of our families affected by brain cancer have particularly positive outlooks, and want to share that with anyone else facing…
Inheritance of Hope volunteers mean it when they call a family “theirs.” Just ask Colleen Urlaub and Judy Guerra. Judy was the volunteer paired with Colleen’s family at the Orlando Legacy Retreat® in February 2019, and the two former strangers are now family. …
Facing yet another Friday night “in?” Squares on your calendar a little too blank? Kids whining “I’m bored” over and over? Inheritance of Hope can help! Join us for Family Game Night on Friday, April 30th. We guarantee laughs, fun for all ages, and IoH…
In 2017, Amy and Andrew Thomas attended an in-person Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreat® with their three-year-old son, River. Amy was first diagnosed with breast cancer when River was just one, and then re-diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer two and a half…
How many rubber band bracelets does it take to send one child on an Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreat®? Nine-year-old Hayden Cochran raised $1300 for IoH families Hayden Cochran answered that question by selling handmade bracelets and keychains to raise $1300 for…
How can we continue to support a family after their loved one has passed away? At Inheritance of Hope, our goal is to purposefully be with those left behind, to walk alongside those who grieve. We know we could never fill the emptiness that remains, but we also know…
Who has been to a family reunion with former NFL players, the author of a beloved young adult adventure series, award-winning musicians, and THE Soul Surfer? We have! All that was missing from our Inheritance of Hope eReunion were those extra pieces of your…
Elliot Lannan entered a drastically different world than the one her big brother Noah, age 20, was born into. Arriving in June, smack in the middle of a pandemic, her early days have been shaped by the pace of quarantine. When Noah takes a study break, it’s Elliot…
On October 11, 2020, Dana Gilmour ran the Chicago Marathon, by himself, near his home of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. He was the only runner in this race, but he wasn’t alone. Friends, supporters, his children, and women affected in some way by breast cancer joined…
“We just take it one day at a time. One day at a time.” This is how Bryant Baird is coping as a newly single father. The Baird family has suffered some hard hits this year–his father in law died one month to the day before Bryant’s wife Crystal passed away…
For months, Leeland Garrison heard about Inheritance of Hope. His school raised money to send families on Legacy Retreats®, and then his dad became a retreat volunteer last November. A friend attended the April 2020 eLegacy Retreat™, and by July, Leeland decided he…
“I pray, and pray, and pray, and then I pray some more,” shares Shirley Derricot on her approach to life. She is honest–there is a lot to pray for, from staying safe during the pandemic to hoping that her two Black sons stay safe out in the world. Shirley’s…
For Jennifer Dorado, there is a way to live through a pandemic with metastatic breast cancer, “One day at a time.” The 37-year-old mother of three, former competitive softball player, and unrelenting optimist has a simple but effective outlook, “A positive mind gives…
When jewelry designer Kendra Scott created the Metastatic Breast Cancer Necklace Charm Set, she honored a friendship cut short. When Cindy Fish gave the pendant to Becca Willson, she did the same. And though neither Cindy nor Becca have ever met Kendra, their…
Like the Legacy Videos, this is a great way to connect with and bless your family when you’re gone…Or in my case, when you lose the ability to speak! Yesterday was my wife’s birthday. I gave her these pictures with the QR Code. When she scans…