Bend Mother joins “Alongside Network”

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Annie Miller of bend has found support through the Alongside Network and wants to share her story. Alongside Network a non-profit organization providing assistance to parents of children who have experienced life-threatening medical issues.

When McKenzie was a baby, she sustained a severe and irreversible traumatic brain injury. During the initial period after the injury, Miller was helped by doctors, nurses and specialists who cared for her child. However, after returning to her home, that high level of support care began to fade.

Even well-intentioned friends were unable to fully grasp the daily challenges Miller and her daughter faced. Miller had to navigate the aftermath of the event herself.

Several years later, Miller discovered the Alongside Network, an organization composed of parents who are familiar with the trauma of caring for a child with a serious medical issue.

Connecting with individuals in similar circumstances provided Miller with the empathy and support she had been seeking. She explained that having the capacity to assist other parents in their healing process became a meaningful component of her own recovery.

Even though Miller, found the group late, she says it's never too late to benefit from them. “There's lots of parents that come in when their kids are adults and they've been dealing with this all their life,” Miller said. “I don't think that there's ever a wrong time, but certainly, you know, if there is the possibility to find people in that most vulnerable time, I think that that is when, you know, we can really make the biggest impact.”

The Alongside Network operates at no cost to families, connecting parents with peers who understand the emotional demands of caring for a seriously ill or injured child.