Lauren Scruggs Kennedy Foundation Q&A
Hey friends, Melissa here! I am so excited to share a Q&A with Lauren and her two co-founders of the Lauren Scruggs Kennedy Foundation. Lisa Curlee and Ashley Bonnin Igo are two incredibly strong and God-centered women who also have prosthetics. Together with Lo, they have partnered to help provide beautiful prosthetic coverings (like they have) for other women who have experienced limb loss. Keep reading to learn more about LSKF and the three beautiful hearts behind this incredible foundation with a life-changing purpose.
LO
Do you remember when the dream for LSKF was first placed on your heart? Tell us about that!I received prosthetic arms about six months after my accident, and I was so grateful because all of the arms were covered by my insurance. At this point, I had not yet met any one who had lost a limb or anyone who wore a prosthesis, so I thought my coverage story was normal. Shortly after, I started meeting so many girls, and they each would share their story of not being able to afford a good quality prosthesis. I came to realize how rare my story was, and these stories broke my heart. I had experienced such renewal and wholeness from this physical object that produced such internal healing effects, and I wanted every one to have the opportunity to experience that. From that point on, I started praying with the intention of wanting to make that possible. I soon after met my two precious friends, Lisa and Ashley, who both lost their legs and had the same passion I did, and the process of creating LSKF began. God has been in every single detail. It has been so humbling and powerful to be a part of.How did you get connected with Ashley and Lisa and how did the three of you become the LSKF team together?Ashley and I initially met on Facebook, and we became quick friends! She lived in Dallas and had never met any one who was missing a limb, so it was extra special getting to connect with each other! I met Lisa at the Beautifully Flawed Retreat that Bethany Hamilton hosts in San Diego. I am so thankful for her because she is full of wisdom and is my mom’s age, so she has experienced many seasons of life without a leg. I can ask her any question or express any fear of what’s ahead in the future, and she speaks so much truth into those thoughts. She has the most beautiful family and the deepest faith. The three of us had such a similar passion to bring hope, ignite faith, and restore dignity in girls and women by providing beautiful cosmetic coverings for prostheses. We are so honored to walk alongside girls in their prosthetic and healing journey. We all know through our own experiences that not feeling alone is one of the biggest components of restoration!What has your prosthetic covering meant to you on a heart level and why do you think you feel called to share that gift with others? Because I was used to having two hands my entire life, my prosthetic arm made me feel whole again because I felt as close as I could to having two hands again. It is high quality and looks so realistic, so it also gave me confidence to enter back into reality. It is such a gift, and even though it is a physical object relating to outward appearance, it has helped ignite so much healing and acceptance in my heart. It has brought so much renewal and is a physical reminder of God’s goodness and beauty in pain. It also is something positive in the midst of loss!
LISA
What has the journey of LSKF been like so far? My journey with the LSK Foundation has been incredible, joyful, and humbling at the same time. In some ways it's been a continuation of a life journey, marked by God revealing Himself in many ways and through so many people. It's been an honor and a privilege to meet others from all walks of life that have helped us from the beginning to make this happen. I've loved working with Lauren and Ashley, our advisers, donors, sponsors and especially the women that we have been able to serve and hopefully improve their life journeys. For those women that wear a prosthesis and desire it to look real and natural, it’s more than exciting to see how this gift can change the way they feel loved.How did you know that you were called to be a part of LSKF?As in most life journeys, years of experience can be the best teacher and often our "calling" is completely unexpected. It was over 30 years after my accident at age 16 that I began to ask the Lord if He could use my specific story to help any women of any age that had experienced limb loss. I had never even met another female that had experienced anything similar to my story. I had no idea until attending a retreat started by Bethany Hamilton and Lauren in 2013 that there are many girls and women that were also experiencing the same kind of struggles, fears, isolation, and insecurities that I had much of my life and had also never met anyone who could relate. As the Lord gave Lauren, Ashley and I the same vision for serving women with prostheses, He also showed us that this was a unique way to encourage, love, and listen to their hearts and their stories. I am so grateful to be able to watch the recipients of LSKF so far and share in their excitement and hope for the future.What is your biggest prayer for the future of LSKF? My prayer for the LSK Foundation is to not only provide the opportunity for many more girls and women to have a beautiful prosthesis if they so desire, but also just to be there for those that have experienced limb loss, with or without a prosthesis. As we share our stories and life experiences, I pray that the Author of our stories receives all of the glory.
ASHLEY
What is your favorite part about being part of LSKF?It’s really hard to put into words the impact that LSKF has had on my life. Before getting to know Lauren and Lisa, I hadn't even met many women who had lost a limb, much less be able to call them friends. The LSK foundation has revealed an amazing community of women that I am so grateful to know, and who we are so blessed to be able to serve. It’s such a comfort to share a life experience with them and truly demonstrates to me how the Lord cares for us in ways we could never imagine. Why is the foundation so near and dear to your heart? In addition to the amazing community it has fostered, seeing the joy that having a beautiful prosthesis brings to these women is like no other experience. Each step in the process is so worth the day we get to gift the final prostheses and see their faces light up in amazement. I love getting to be a part of something that represents hope and healing, not just from a physical standpoint, but also spiritually. Through the gift of these silicone coverings, it is our prayer that our recipients know and experience the love of Jesus Christ who is our ultimate comforter and healer. Tell us about the dynamic between you, Lisa, and Lo! How fun is it working on this mission together? Since we’re all in different cities, we put in a lot of phone time! We each have different gifts that really allow us to work so well together. I’m the painfully honest task master of the crew 🤣 and am thankfully balanced out by Lo’s sweet disposition and Lisa’s gracious spirit.
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