Our StoryWhat is Finnegan’s Challenge?
Finnegan Sander was born on Father's Day, June 15, 2014, with a rare birth defect that required life-saving surgery immediately after he was born, and two additional surgeries over the coming months to mitigate his condition. After nearly a monthly in the hospital, Finny finally came home, but this journey had just begun.
Having a child with a serious health condition changes your whole world overnight, but it is not the end of the world. These moments have changed us, but this alone does not define our family. We are defined by our strength, our love, and our dreams for tomorrow. As time went on, we began to understand the demands of what it would take to ensure a positive life path for him, and we realized that the daily challenges and demands were our new normal.
Fortunately, we were able to rely on many people to help build this support system around Finn. The humanity and the generosity we’ve received is something we are forever grateful for– and it has inspired us to help others facing similar situations. We want to use our experience, knowledge, and network to create and grow resources that can positively impact those that have a similar road in front of them.
The goal of Finnegan’s Challenge is to generate awareness, drive research, and educate families and loved ones about life-changing circumstances related to birth defects and other health conditions that affect children so that they can better cope with the journey ahead.
We are focused on helping those in these situations that require resources, whether it is physical, emotional, psychological, educational or financial, so that families can have peace of mind and understand - "It will be OK" - even when they feel overwhelmed, isolated, or helpless. We believe that with the right resources and education, we can empower families and their children to better navigate the challenges. Together, we can create communities of humanity and show families the support they deserve.
Who is Finnegan?
Meet Finnegan
Finnegan’s Challenge is named for Finnegan Sander– an average 7-year-old boy who likes to play with Pokemon, loves animals, and wants to be a veterinarian or an artist when he grows up. For now, he’s happy being the best big brother he can be to his little sister, Fontaine. He’s full of energy and excitement for life despite being born with a rare birth defect that required life-saving surgery immediately after birth– and several more surgeries since. As his parents, our primary mission became providing Finnegan with all of the support he needs to live his best life, but at first, we didn’t know how to navigate the many challenges we faced as a family.
Our TeamMeet The Team
Finnegan Sander
Dr. Richard Sander
Dr. Karen Schetzina
Fontaine Sander
Dr. Leslie Winston
Dr. Stephen Marshall
Claire Sander
Justin Winston
David Golden, Esq.
Jimmy Sander
Dr. Kimberly Hale
Dr. Linda Latimer