I'm Abbey Ahern, Executive Director of SHINE. I've been married to my husband Robert for 13 years, and in that time we have been blessed with 5 incredible little girls, Dylan, Harper Lou, Annie, Iva, and Frankie. We host this event in honor of our middle daughter, Annie Rachel Ahern.

Annie was born with a terminal birth defect known as anencephaly. We were aware before she was born that she was not made for this earth, but it was very clear to us that she had a purpose. Annie was born on the morning of June 26, 2013, and passed away that very same evening after living a beautiful 14 hours and 58 minutes. Her little light may have gone out that day, but not before she was able to pass it on.

Giving is a large part of Annie’s legacy. When Annie passed away, she made history as Oklahoma’s very first infant organ donor. Annie was able to donate several of her organs for research purposes. Because she was the very first infant to do so in this state, protocols were put in place that made the process easier for other parents like us.

Annie gave the ultimate gift, the gift of life. We, as her family, continue to honor her with this annual event in the spirit of giving.

Annie has changed our family in so many ways. Our older girls were able to meet and spend time with their sister on the day she was born, and I will forever be grateful and cherish those precious memories. Our younger girls will always hear about their big sister Annie and how she changed the world. We are so proud of all 5 of our daughters.

 Carrying a baby with a terminal condition is extremely difficult for so many reasons. My family is so blessed with an incredible support system, and that includes our friends at The Spero Project. I believe in their mission, and when I decided to plan a fundraiser in honor of Annie, they were the perfect choice for us to support.

I documented our journey over the past six years in a blog, Tomorrow Will Be Kinder. It begins when we received Annie's diagnosis and tells our story in great detail. I wrote a new post anytime something was on my heart, and it is my in depth look at grief, love, loss, and recovery. If you are interested in learning more about Annie's life and her impact, I invite you to read her story.

Celebrating Annie’s 9th birthday is going to be HUGE. We couldn’t celebrate her 7th or 8th together in person, so there is a lot of pent up energy and excitement. I am SO ready to spread her light. The Spero Project is doing beautiful and important work in our city, supporting the refugee community and so much more. It is my honor to support them, and I invite you to join me!