The O'Neil Foundation for Healing

Our Mission

The O’Neil Foundation for Healing exists to support widows, bereaved parents, and families navigating the NICU or complex medical journeys by providing compassionate support, meaningful resources, and spaces for healing.

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Why This Foundation Exists

Life-altering loss, medical trauma, and prolonged uncertainty can leave families feeling isolated, unseen, and overwhelmed. Too often, support fades once the hospital stay ends or the immediate crisis passes.

The O’Neil Foundation for Healing was created to help fill those gaps - offering connection, understanding, and hope for families walking some of life’s hardest paths.

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Who We Serve

We are committed to supporting families who are navigating:

• Widowhood and profound loss

• Pregnancy loss, infant loss, and child loss

• Life in and beyond the NICU

• Complex pediatric medical journeys

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Our approach centers dignity, compassion, and the understanding that healing is not linear.

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Our Approach to Healing

Healing looks different for every family. Our work is grounded in listening, lived experience, and community-centered care.

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Our anticipated areas of support include:

• Peer support and connection opportunities

• Educational resources for navigating grief and medical trauma

• Healing-centered gatherings, events, and retreats

• Partnerships with organizations serving maternal, neonatal, and family health

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These focus areas reflect the foundation’s vision and will continue to evolve as the organization grows.

 

Our Relationship to It’s a NICU World

The O’Neil Foundation for Healing is a separate nonprofit organization that was created to complement the advocacy, education, and storytelling work of It’s a NICU World. While the missions are closely aligned, each operates independently with its own structure, governance, and purpose.

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About the Founder

Ashley O'Neil’s journey through the NICU, loss, and life after profoundly informed her commitment to creating spaces where families feel seen, supported, and less alone.

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Stay Connected

The foundation is in its early stages, and we are building thoughtfully and intentionally. If you’d like to stay informed as the foundation officially launches and begins offering programs, we invite you to join our mailing list.

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Registration Status

The O’Neil Foundation for Healing is currently in the process of completing nonprofit registration with the State of Maryland. This page reflects the foundation’s intended mission and planned areas of focus. Updates will be shared as registration is finalized.