Our family became aquainted with the Mason Kane organization by surfing the internet. We were looking for information to help us in our time of grief.
Nash our 11.5 month old little grandson had passed away from heart failure after being in the hospital for 87 days. While at his extensive stay at the University of Iowa, he had several surgeries, was placed on ECMO, placed on the heart transplant list. Nash was a fighter but unfortunately his organs gave out on him. He never made it to transplant.
We came across the Mason Kane organization and it was a blessing to us to read about other parents grief. Not because we were glad they had grief, not at all, but because we were looking for someone who "had been there" and who had "been in our shoes."
I wrote an email to The Mason Kane organization asking if there was any assistance to help Nash's parents with the balance of his funeral expenses. It was hard enough that they lost their child, but now they were faced with the ongoing cost to pay the bill at the funeral home. This made their grief much harder.
God answered our prayer, and your organization helped with a portion of the balance. We can not begin to thank you enough for the emotional and financial contribution you have given to our family. God bless you and your organization. This is what a "team" is all about. Thank you again.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/pockets
Nash our 11.5 month old little grandson had passed away from heart failure after being in the hospital for 87 days. While at his extensive stay at the University of Iowa, he had several surgeries, was placed on ECMO, placed on the heart transplant list. Nash was a fighter but unfortunately his organs gave out on him. He never made it to transplant.
We came across the Mason Kane organization and it was a blessing to us to read about other parents grief. Not because we were glad they had grief, not at all, but because we were looking for someone who "had been there" and who had "been in our shoes."
I wrote an email to The Mason Kane organization asking if there was any assistance to help Nash's parents with the balance of his funeral expenses. It was hard enough that they lost their child, but now they were faced with the ongoing cost to pay the bill at the funeral home. This made their grief much harder.
God answered our prayer, and your organization helped with a portion of the balance. We can not begin to thank you enough for the emotional and financial contribution you have given to our family. God bless you and your organization. This is what a "team" is all about. Thank you again.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/pockets
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I became acquainted with The Mason Kane Foundation while serving a family who had suffered the unfortunate loss of their son and grandson. They shared the program with me and I then contacted Shana for more information. I had another family who needed help. Unlike the aforementioned family, this family lacked the family support so often needed when one loses a child. Shana never hesitated and was very flexible in trying to assist the family and I in meeting their needs. I appreciated Shana’s compassion and flexibility and absolute willingness to assist the family. I asked for more information so I could share it with others.
As a funeral director, we sincerely want to help families through this difficult time as many of us too have been touched by loss. We understand the importance of the service, especially when one has lost a child. While we work with families to defer many of the traditional costs associated with a funeral, there are costs associated with funeral services that are outside of the funeral home, such as merchandise, obituaries, cemetery and filing fees. It breaks our hearts when a family lacks the funds to do what they want and need. No one expects to lose a child and the cost can often compound the loss and grief. That is why I appreciate the work Shana does through The Mason Kane Foundation.
I recently contacted her in regards to assistance with a headstone for a family that had just lost their baby. I told her what they were looking at and the various costs. While we were concerned with the cost of the headstone, she didn’t hesitate when she said, which one does the mom want? She said it is important for her to have a marker that means something to her as that is all she has left to remind her of her precious baby. While we worked with another foundation that the family had contacted earlier to cover other costs, The Mason Kane Foundation came through quickly and ensured everything was taken care of. We are still waiting on the other foundation. The Mason Kane Foundation understands how hard it is for a family to ask for help, to have the weight of the costs being covered on their shoulders and they, along with myself, understand that the family most needs to be able to grieve, to navigate the difficult and complex emotions one encounters when they lose a loved one, especially a young and innocent child.
Shana’s diligence in finding vendors to supply the merchandise that honors the memories and preciousness of their children along with her drive to become a non-profit so quickly speaks volumes about her commitment to serve and comfort other families from her heart. Mason Kane is not a beauracratic foundation, it is a foundation with a heart. Thank you so much for your work Shana and for your compassion. The world needs more of you.
Michelle Murray
Funeral Director
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I lost my my son recently on October 25th. It's been pretty tough. He was supposed to be born on November 9,2010.I was going to my regular appointment at 11:30am on Oct.25 the doctor was asking his regular questions then when he went to check the heart beat there was none and he checked again I knew something was wrong then he gave me 3 ultasounds and still no heart beat so they had to send me to labor and delivery so i could have a regular birth. Going though the process was the worst thing I ever went though in my life. I was supposed to have a baby boy named Carter James. It was a sad day. Then when he was born a rainbow was outside my window so it was like God was there when I needed him most. Without God I don't know how I could get though this. When he comes, he says the angels will give the mothers their babies, so I have to stay stong and I know when Jesus comes we will meet in a place so perfect and won't have to worry ever again..................................
anyways I just wanted to thank u guys so much for all that u done. I would have never figured out how to buy a headstone. u guys are truly amazing. Sorry for ur loss and all u had to go though but God is there for when we need him most and we will see them again soon and very soon.....thank u guys again u don't know how much this means......
Christina Ruchty
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The Day My World Changed
Labor Day weekend was going to be such a great weekend; Papa was finally going to build the promised tree house with all the grandkids and I was going to spend the day with their mom’s. All summer the kids had been talking with Papa about their tree house and the kids were all so excited. I got up early so I would be prepared for everyone and Papa was off gathering all the material when the phone rang. I saw the caller id and figured that Mindy was just running a little late, but when I answered the phone she was sobbing hysterically and all she could say was Taylor is gone. At first I didn’t know what she was saying and then it hit me, my precious little boy was no longer with us; Taylor had gone to be with Jesus. During the early morning Taylor had a seizure and had stopped breathing and by the time Mindy went in to wake him for the day it was too late.
Taylor had a chromosome deficiency, which led to his epilepsy and this nightmare that we are now living through was a fear that my precious daughter has lived with all of Taylor’s life. There were many very scary close calls in the past, but this time there was nothing we could do except learn to live without our special little boy. How do we do this, what decisions need to be made, how do we pay for it all, how do I help my family through this nightmare; these were just a few of the questions and concerns that were flooding my mind and all the time totally broken by the death of my baby. By the grace of God my niece introduced me to Shana Klinge, the founder of the Mason Kane Foundation and this started our journey together.
It breaks my heart to know that Shana has gone through the same pain that I’m experiencing, but at the same time I really needed someone to talk to that could help me sort out what I was feeling. With the sudden loss of a family member it can be financially devastating, but The Mason Kane Foundation helped with the financial stresses of the memorial so that we could give Taylor a wonderful memorial service. Shana placed a Taylor Grant memorial page out on the Mason Kane Foundation website so that we can continue honoring Taylor’s life. It has been a little over a month now and the pain is still so fresh and raw and I know it will never be the same, but Shana is there for me to assure me that in time the pain will ease. Shana has become a friend that I know I can call if I just need to cry or validate my feelings. Shana and the Mason Kane Foundation are a God send. Thank you Shana for all you do for the families that have lost their babies way too soon in life.
Laurie Hunt
Roy, Wa.
Check out the newspaper article they did on Copperopolis CA about the foundation! Thank you Jason!!
http://coppergazette.blogspot.com/2011/02/local-man-raising-awareness-for-mason.html
http://coppergazette.blogspot.com/2011/02/local-man-raising-awareness-for-mason.html
