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Stronger Together: Elevating Awareness to Honor Family

Stronger Together: Elevating Awareness to Honor Family

The passion to give started decades ago when Sharon Shahid, who grew up in St. Louis, witnessed her cousin Renee struggle with the effects of sickle cell disease. Sharon fondly recalls memories of playing with cousins, but unfortunately, Renee was unable to join in on the fun because any stress on her body could send her into a crisis. When these sickle cell crises did occur, she would spend time at St. Louis Children's Hospital. It still upsets Sharon today when she reflects on how difficult that must have been for Renee and her parents.

Renee Boyd Eddins
Renee Boyd Eddins

When Renee passed away the same week as the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Sharon, who spent most of her adult life in Washington, D.C., was unable to fly back to St. Louis. She was heartbroken. Their very large family attempted to establish a scholarship in Renee's honor but ran into roadblocks. Sharon still felt compelled to honor Renee's memory and became a donor to St. Louis Children's Hospital to support the treatments and research of sickle cell disease.

Fast forward to 2020 and COVID-19 was changing lives all over the world. Sharon felt unsettled as she was isolated in a city away from her family. She was unable to see her mother in person for more than a year, and it was a time when many people were forced to think about mortality and their legacy. Sharon decided to not only update her will but to explore ways to give back to places that transformed her life. She wanted to give back to the institutions that gave so much to her as a child and to a city where many of her nieces and nephews were growing up. During this reflection, she couldn't help but think of her cousin Renee and her time at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Sharon contacted St. Louis Children's Hospital Foundation and participated in the complimentary estate planning consultation the Foundation offers through Thompson & Associates. After a few virtual meetings with consultant Michael Geis, Sharon decided to make St. Louis Children's Hospital a beneficiary of her 401(k) retirement plan.

Sharon, a former writer and editor for USA Today and current museum editor, writer and consultant, doesn't typically like to talk about money, but going through the process with Thompson & Associates made her feel at ease. Estate planning is personal and can be scary, but Sharon says Michael was warm and understanding as they worked through a plan to donate what she could to an institution that did so much to keep her cousin healthy and living for as long as possible. Growing up in a working-class family in St. Louis city, she is grateful that with education she was able to expand her horizons and now be in a position to give back and honor Renee's memory. Sharon always thought only millionaires could leave this type of legacy, but she learned during the planning process that anyone can make generous gifts with proper planning.

Sharon selected St. Louis Children's for her planned gift because of their commitment and advances in sickle cell research, and she hopes to help other children suffering from this life-altering disease. She is confident that with advanced research and treatments, kids diagnosed today will not have to go through the same suffering that Renee did many decades ago.

To learn more about making your own planned gift, please contact us.


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