About Us
Kourageous Karter Foundation
Our Mission
To make life better for medically complex kids and the people who love them.
Our Motto
Kourage: Strength in the face of grief or pain.
By definition courage means "strength in the face of grief or pain." Karter's life and our story is the epitome of this word, as we live with grief and gratitude every day. We hope to use this page to inform, educate, connect, and support people on all aspects of what life is like raising him.
Disclaimers….
While we’ve learned a great deal through our experiences, we are not licensed medical doctors or attorneys. Although we have a PhD in being parents to a child with a severe brain injury, nothing on this site should take the place of your own medical team’s advice. Likewise, if you have specific questions about disability law, contact an attorney.
We are also only 6 years into this journey. We certainly have a LOT to learn and a ways to go! By no means do we “know it all.” Everyday teaches us something new. We plan to update, edit, and add to our website along the way. We HAVE, however, learned a TON that we wish we would’ve known from the start. If we can help other parents learn from our experiences, then we have served our purpose.
Our site exists simply as a platform for quick resources, connection, and support. Please keep that in mind!
The "Why" Behind our Foundation
Paying It Forward
When Karter was on hospice, our small-town Iowa communities rallied around us and hosted fundraisers for our family. Because of the uncertainty of his prognosis, I took a leave of absence from my career, leaving us down to one income. At that time, we had no medical assistance or resources, so the fundraisers saved us that first year. Besides the tremendous financial contributions, the fact that so many gathered together in support of our family during our most difficult time was humbling, moving, and something that left a GREAT impact. We will never forget how that made us feel. We knew someday we wanted to pay it forward and give back. Truly, we feel responsible and called to do our part to make things better for families like ours. We want to use our skills, resources, and passion for helping others to make a difference.