NORFOLK, Va. — There's something magical happening inside the hot pink house (pictured below) at the end of Norfolk's Willoughby Spit, though Susan Geoghegan has a different word for it.
"My journey is full of grief and heartache, but it's also full of joy and beauty," Geoghegan told WTKR News 3 anchor Blaine Stewart.
She calls it — 'apricity' — the warmth of sun in the winter.
"I firsthand know that this is a cold, dark, isolating season of parenthood," she added.
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Geoghegan is the mother of two children, both born with mitochondrial diseases. Those are genetic conditions that severely impact how the body's organs work. It is a non-stop job caring for her young son Benji, just like it was for daughter Lorelei, who passed away in 2021 when she was just five. Geoghegan was gutted.
"When my village showed up, they were the warmth that wrapped around me and helped me keep going," she explained. "So we wanted to provide that warmth and light to other medical moms."
That led her to start the Apricity Hope Project, supporting the caregivers of medically complex, disabled children. They offer help for the helpers, giving out hospital go-bags packed with essentials like toiletries, snacks, and a touch of encouragement.
"When you are the parent sitting there bedside, literally praying for your child to live, there are things like cozy blankets that make it better," she said.
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The project helps parents like Christi Rose.
"I felt like a cloud was lifted," Rose said. "It made it seem like I wasn't in such a dark space anymore."
Rose told me about the first time she walked into the pink house, Apricity Hope Project's headquarters and home to a rare respite for caregivers. The project hosts retreats for them here, giving parents a night or a weekend off to relax and recharge.
"It just changed my outlook on everything, and just being able to see that I have to pour into myself before I can pour back into my kids," Rose told WTKR News 3.
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In fact, Rose now volunteers with the project, pouring love and life back into other parents. It's that kind of community support that keeps them going. From volunteers to donations, it all helps.
"We're looking for families or businesses that want to sponsor rooms, that want to sponsor different parts of this house," Geoghegan said.
It was in one of those rooms where I surprised the ladies with a News 3 Everyday Hero Award. It comes with a $300 Visa gift card from our community partners at Southern Bank, helping to continue the mission of being a warm light for families in the coldest, darkest of winters.
"Right now in this world, our kids are magic and kindness and love is what is just keeping us all going," she added.
Each year, Apricity Hope Project hosts Camp: HOPE FULL, a hybrid fundraising and community event that welcomes families of all abilities. Click here to learn how to register and attend the event in April.
