Ann Haering Foundation

As recipients of unending community support, a local family reaches out to families in need through the Ann Haering Foundation.

By: Debbie Musser | From the issue: August 2011

Photo: Emily J. Davis

Jane, John, Erik, Mary and Paul Haering.

For many graduates from the class of 2011, August means Target runs for dorm necessities and saying goodbye to friends as they prepare to start the next chapter in their lives at college. For their parents, this is an exciting yet bittersweet time, with lots of pull at the heartstrings.

For Jane and Paul Haering, this is a time of what was supposed to be. Their daughter Ann, a member of East Ridge High School’s class of 2011, passed away in February following a four-year fight with leukemia.

Ann had many hopes and dreams in her short life and one—to help children with life-threatening illnesses and their families—is coming true with the establishment of the Ann Haering Foundation. “We will be kicking off the foundation in September, which is childhood cancer awareness month,” says Jane. “But Ann’s wish was to help children with all illnesses, not just cancer, because she saw the need firsthand.”

In February 2007 while a Lake Junior High 8^th grader, Ann was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and treated at Children’s St. Paul Hospital. “That’s where her helping others seed was planted,” Jane says, and it continued to grow through her treatment and blood/bone marrow transplant at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s hospital in August 2010. “Our goal with the foundation is to seek and recognize those families who are in need both financially and emotionally.”

The Haering family has “walked the walk,” and knows that it’s the little things—a simple gift to help get you through the day—that mean the most. “Gas cards were the greatest gifts we received,” says Paul, “as Jane and I rotated every day, one of us at the hospital with Ann and the other at home with the other kids (Mary, 17; John, 13 and Erik, 8). As hard as it was, at least we could come home and sleep and take a shower. For families far from home, we hope to provide donated frequent flier miles and things like gift cards to the hospital coffee shop and nearby restaurants, as well as contributions towards co-pays for medications and funeral costs. We’ll work with child-family life specialists at the children’s hospitals to identify families in need.”