Hope Rooted Helps Families Fight Chronic Illness

After years of watching her daughter, Kendall, struggle with chronic illness, Kelly King finally found answers through functional medicine. This experience prompted Kelly to create Hope Rooted, an organization that empowers families to fight illness using this medical approach.  

Born with a heart defect, Kendall required several corrective surgeries over the first few years of her life. During this time, Kendall’s health issues were compounded when, at a year old, she developed chronic pneumonia. For six years, Kendall and her family struggled to cure the pneumonia through conventional Western medicine, but they left Kendall with various side effects, and no answers.

Determined to help heal her daughter, Kelly turned to functional medicine. A more individualized practice that primarily treats chronic illness, functional medicine uses an evidence-based approach to identify and treat the underlying cause of the illness, while looking at the person as a whole. This approach is often expensive, however, requiring extensive testing, analysis, and medical evaluations, which insurance usually does not cover. Fortunately, the Kings were able to afford the diagnosis and treatment, which successfully focused on treating Kendall’s pneumonia by controlling her underlying inflammatory issues through diet.

Empowered by her daughter’s healing journey, Kelly decided to help others find healing as well. She partnered with Amanda Kacuba, a chemist who worked in pharmaceuticals, to create Hope Rooted, a foundation that helps families with children battling chronic illnesses pay for treatment through small grants. Hope Rooted also provides families with expert knowledge and helps them locate appropriate practitioners and treatments. Kelly commented: “We want other parents with children who have chronic conditions to know that there are answers out there. Too often they don’t even have a diagnosis—their lives have been disrupted by their child’s illness, and they need more tools.”

Alyssa Senescall, whose daughter, Marley, suffers from PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections), found help and encouragement through Hope Rooted. Bombarded by information, and facing the financial difficulty of paying for treatment, Senescall felt overwhelmed. After learning about the family’s difficulties, Kelly King reached out and began working with Senescall, alleviating many of the family’s anxieties, and allowing Marley access to more frequent treatments.

By funding treatments and supporting families in similar situations, Hope Rooted continues to educate patients about the benefits of functional medicine, empowering them to fight chronic illness.