Sara Kennicott is a teacher, mom, friend, activist, believer of hope. Sara has been a teacher for over twenty years in the Barrington school district and currently teaches Reading to elementary children. She has a Masters degree from National Louis University and has continued her professional development throughout the years. While doing so, Sara and her husband David founded the Hope 4 Bridget Foundation in honor of their daughter, Bridget Rose. After learning there were no treatments, cure and very little funding directed toward this fatal childhood disease, they decided to make it their mission as parents. The mission of the Hope 4 Bridget Foundation is to support innovative research, develop early detection methods, advance treatment techniques, and ultimately find a cure for Batten disease. Although their effort to find a cure is too late for Bridget, they forge ahead to fight for other children like her. Sara and her family will continue to be proactive until the disease is stopped. They will always have HOPE.

Bridget Kennicott was a beautiful little girl from Barrington, IL born November 11, 2004. She began her life like any other child, meeting each milestone with enthusiasm. She loved to giggle, run, climb, hug, dance and just go fast. After the onset of seizures at age three, her life drastically changed. There were many months of negotiating medications and deterioration in motor skills. Bridget was ultimately diagnosed with Late Infantile Batten disease (CLN2), a fatal neurological disease that has NO cure. Bridget’s abilities deteriorated quickly and she could no longer do all the active things she loved. Sadly, Bridget entered the Kingdom of Heaven on February 15, 2017 after her long, courageous battle with Batten disease. She is now free to dance again with the angels after her twelve short years on Earth.

For more information about Batten disease, www.hope4bridget.com www.bdsra.org