by ERIN PARROTT
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For parents facing a life-threatening illness, uncertainty about their children’s future can be overwhelming. That’s why one Upstate South Carolina nonprofit is working to ease those concerns by helping parents preserve their memories, stories and legacies for the children they may leave behind.
Founded in 2007, Let There Be Mom (LTBM) is a Greenville, South Carolina based, nonprofit organization tasked with helping moms and dads facing the tragedy of life-threatening diseases, to create tangible objects for their children in the wake of their passing.
The idea for LTBM first surfaced in October of 2006, when Kipra Anderson – a mother of three – was dusting a picture of her daughters. Anderson suddenly became overwhelmed with the thought of what her children would remember of her were she diagnosed with a serious illness.
Filled with emotion, Anderson searched online for a provider or service that would help meet this need, but was instead met with disappointment – finding no established businesses capable of accomplishing what she was looking for.
Anderson had the idea of starting her own nonprofit at the time, but initially decided against it.
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About a month later, though, she went to her local church and one of the pastors asked her if God was asking her to do something she didn’t yet know how to do. A few weeks later, at the same church, another pastor asked her the same question.
“I just remember, you know, saying, ‘God, if you want me to do something, you’re going to have to tell me exactly what it is, because I am not tracking,'” Anderson recalled.
Through prayer and a happenstance encounter with a 29-year-old mother diagnosed with cancer at a local elementary school in Greenville around Christmas 2006, it became apparent to Anderson that she was being called to take action.
“It all came flooding back and I knew what to do,” she said.
Once the holidays passed, on January 11, 2007, LTBM was registered with the state – and shortly thereafter, on April 4, 2007, the nonprofit was officially approved by the IRS.
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“The IRS never moves this fast,” said Anderson. “I could just feel the Lord through this whole thing, I even asked Him to be on the board for my own silly reasons.”
Originally planning to wait until the fall of 2007 to offer services, Anderson received a call in August of that year about a 27-year-old mother on hospice who was given four weeks to live – leaving behind her 3-year-old.
“At that point, it all flipped in my mind from being about the parent or the mom, to being about the child,” Anderson said. “I can do anything for a kid.”
After successfully serving four moms, Anderson received a phone call in 2008 from a desperate mother of two, asking LTBM to serve her husband and children.
Originally planning to just serve mothers, Anderson was hesitant to go forward and assist this father, but ultimately decided to check it out.
After meeting with the family of four and hearing that the father had been given two weeks to live (eight weeks prior to the phone call), Anderson proceeded to serve the family – opening the gates for LTBM to serve both moms and dads.
This turning point for LTBM to serve dads as well as moms holds a special place in my heart, as my father – Brian Parrott – was the first dad they agreed to serve.
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THE PROCESS …
In order to meet LTBM’s criteria, according to Anderson, a parent must have a life-threatening illness, live within one hour of the nonprofit’s office, have at least one child 18-years-old or younger and the ability to communicate.
“They have to be able to communicate with me and meet those other criteria,” said Anderson, “if they do, then we jump on it and serve them.”
If approved, Anderson meets with the family and conducts an interview which typically lasts three to four hours, to ensure the legacies perfectly created.
“It’s just me getting to know them from their childhood until now,” said Anderson. “I star things that are important, like their favorite things, their favorite holidays, traditions that they have, family traditions that they want to pass on, information about their faith.”
Once the family has an idea of what they want, Anderson finds one of the many crafters that LTBM has worked with over the years, and tells them what to bring to life.
Over the years, though, LTBM has slightly changed its approach when it comes to giving these legacies to the family.
For the first few families served, the crafted artifacts were given to the family and children all at once. Now, however, LTBM has transitioned to a milestone-based approach for distributing these pieces.
“Gifts are designated for certain times now, such as their sweet 16, when they have their first baby, when they get married, things like that,” Anderson said.
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LASTING LEGACIES …
While the heart-felt creations may vary from family to family, it is important to note that there are common items offered to every family.
For example, every family served receives a thumbprint charm of the designated parent made out of clay – which are typically placed on necklaces for members to wear – as well as quilts made out of the mom or dad’s clothing to provide warmth and comfort to these grieving families.
Along with the quilts and thumbprint charms given to my family, LTBM engraved one of my father’s weights and made a casting of his hand on a plate for my brother, a flower vase for me showcasing the intertwined handprints of my hand and his, voice recordings for the both of us and so much more.
For other families, different entities include (but are not limited to) scrapbooks, stuffed animals made out clothing, board games and anything the parent wants to leave behind, are made physical.
“We have a leather maker that we work with who’s made wallets, purses and key chains out of shoes, boots and jackets,” said Anderson. “It’s really just whatever is significant to the parent that we make things out of.”
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‘LET THERE BE MOM’ IN THE COMMUNITY …
Each year, typically in October, LTBM hosts its annual one-day fundraiser, Dine Out For Mom. This year’s event is scheduled for Thursday, October 22, 2026, when participating restaurants across the Upstate will donate 20% of their sales from the day to support the nonprofit’s mission.
Eligible sales include dine-in and takeout orders, gift card purchases and catering services.
Last year, more than 165 restaurants participated in the fundraiser, generating support for numerous families facing life-threatening illnesses. This year, participation has grown, with 182 restaurants currently committed to donating 20% of their sales throughout the day.
Fundraisers like Dine Out For Mom – along with individual donations – have helped make LTBM’s mission possible. Since its founding, the nonprofit has served 212 families, supported 506 children and completed more than 6,000 personalized projects designed to preserve memories and create lasting legacies.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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