Description
Karen Herzog and Richard Sachs founded Sophia's Garden Foundation as a direct result of their own experience. When their daughter, Sophia, was ten months old, she was diagnosed with a rare and incurable genetic disorder. As they began their journey of coping with Sophia and their family's needs, they discovered that our present healthcare system did not meet many of the physical, emotional, social/cultural, spiritual and financial needs that arose.
What happened over the next three years was nothing short of extraordinary. As they began to reach out for help, the response amazed them. Individuals and groups from all walks of life and fields of endeavor were drawn into what became a palpable circle of healing. Moved by Sophia's radiant presence and the family's optimism and openness, as well as inspired by the experience of community, people began to respond in unprecedented ways. The walls between people, disciplines, and geographic boundaries dissolved fostering integration, collaboration and creativity. The level of compassionate care Sophia received rose exponentially with a net gain to society. In this supportive, family-centered environment, people's hearts were free to break open, and a healing community was born. They see this as Sophia's legacy to the world.
SGF envisions a world where a Healing Community--a caring, respectful, and supportive network consisting of both healthcare professionals and laypeople--surrounds each and every child with a life-threatening condition and their family, working together to attend to all their needs. As a result, the collective healing wisdom of humanity is made accessible to all, especially children thought to be incurable, and families find strength, hope and healing.
