Reclaim the Joys of Childhood

Our Story

Mary Therese Rose Crilly, was born with Joubert Syndrome a rare genetic disorder for which she received excellent care at home from family and dedicated medical professionals. Unfortunately, many special needs children in our area are not so fortunate and are denied needed therapies and equipment because of lifetime insurance benefit limits or simple denial of reasonable claims. In response to this need, Mary’s family and friends established the Mary Therese Rose Fund to benefit children cared for at the Valley Hospital Center for Child Development.

Since it was established, the Mary Therese Rose Fund has helped families pay for needed equipment such as orthotics, braces, and standers and has funded activities such as therapeutic horseback riding. By reaching out to special needs children in this way, it is our goal to help them reclaim and savor some of the simple joys of childhood denied them by their disabilities.

In January of 2003, Mary Therese Rose passed away. In gratitude for her life, and to honor her memory, supporters of the Mary Therese Rose Fund continue to work so that other special children can experience the simple joys of childhood as Mary did.