Our Mission: At Specially Gifted Foundation, we believe that children with disabilities deserve to be loved and valued as equals in our society. We respect the unique journey that each of their families face and are dedicated to enriching their lives by providing them with a special gift or opportunity, beneficial resources, and a sense of community.

Our History: Specially Gifted Foundation, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit (Tax-ID 84-4273422 ) established in January 2020 by Bree Kernion Lanham and Macey Price.

OUR WHY - MEET KENDALL

So, do you have any siblings?

I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked this simple and seemingly surface question, the person asking unprepared for the depth of my answer. It is difficult to keep the tone of a conversation light as you reply that you have two younger sisters, one who passed away and one who has severe disabilities… maybe I will master this eventually. Though my family’s journey has not been an easy one, I consider myself unbelievably blessed- I have the strongest parents in the world and two angels as sisters.

Our journey has inspired me to make a positive impact on families in similar situations. I brought the idea to Macey, who had quickly gone from Kendall’s therapy-facilitator to a member of our family many years ago. Macey has always had a heart for children with disabilities and their families and has been one hundred percent on board with me since day one of SGF.

We are beyond excited to see the impact of Specially Gifted Foundation. To our Gifted Families, donors, team, and supporters- you are our inspiration and we could not do this without you, let’s continue to make a difference in the lives of these deserving families.

— Bree Kernion Lanham, Co-Founder

The Kernion Family

Cofounder Bree Kernion Lanham is in the middle with her parents and sister Kendall.

After the devasting loss of our precious Meredith to a brain tumor, Chris, Breann and I were ecstatic to learn we had another baby girl on the way. Unfortunately, our elation was short-lived. Kendall began having seizures at three weeks of age and was diagnosed with intractable epilepsy. While Kendall’s constant seizures were the most difficult component of her medical issues to manage, it was far from the worst.

Kendall is nineteen and her physical abilities are on par with a one-year-old despite extensive daily therapies (OT, PT and Speech Therapy). It is difficult to determine her cognitive abilities since she is nonverbal. Kendall has been diagnosed with severe developmental delays, cerebral palsy and cortical/neurological vision impairment (functionally blind). She requires 24/7 care to meet her medical and basic needs.

Despite her limitations, or perhaps because of them, Kendall is the sweetest, most joyful person we know. She loves being around people and always wants to give kisses. Some people may look at Kendall and see her deficiencies, but we view Kendall as a blessing from God – she teaches us every day about unconditional love and what life can be like without hate, anger, jealousy, etc.

As told by Jill Kernion, mother of Kendall and Specially Gifted Co-Founder Breann