About Us
Chronic Illness Grit and Grace is a 501 c3 non profit foundation that creates community along with providing support to women whose lives are affected by chronic illness. Through donations, grants, and fundraising events, we use our funds to provide support to our community. We provide support for the “little things” that often get overlooked as a cost of being ill. Things like food at the hospital for a partner that is staying with you, or sending a housekeeper to surprise someone who has been in the hospital. Sometimes it is paying for an ride to a doctors appt for someone on disability. Wherever we see a need in our community, we like to help. Your donations are tax deductible.
Meet our Board of Directors
Anne Dunlop
Founder/ Executive Director
I have always been a social person. I thrive in community. As the world has gone digital, I have found an amazing community of friends that live online, I have worn many hats in my life, theatrical make up artist, middle school teacher, Musical Theater director, homeschool mama. But when Chronic pain and mental illness took over my life, all of that came to a stop. My dreams for my life were no longer something I could physically do.
As I shared my struggles and journey on social media, I began to hear from other women who struggled with illness, but never talked about it. There was not a safe place to share. We are told to keep our heads up and be strong. But I wanted to be REAL. I wanted to share the nitty gritty of life with pain, so others would know they were not alone!
I I saw a need for women to have a safe place to share their health struggles in a safe and empathetic space, surrounded by others that understood the struggles that come with living life in pain or with illness. I created a Facebook group called Chronic Illness Grit and Grace that has grown over the last 4 years into a home for women to be real with each other.
I have had a dream of expanding this community, of providing more space and opportunity for women who live in this world to meet together and say “oh, you have that too!?” A desire to pamper these women and let them know that they are not alone.
Amee Foster
Board Member
Amee Foster describes herself as an “artist, educator, lover of beauty, badass in a wheelchair, barefoot flowerchild.” She is an Oregon native living in the Midwest with her husband, FIVE sons, and two cats. She lives with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, fibromyalgia, hyper-mobility, and anxiety. She loves spending time reading as much as possible, communing with nature, and spending time with her awesome family and friends. Amee is one of our groups founding members and a huge supporter of all women with Chronic Illness. With a background in mental health and a lifetime of living with several chronic illness’s, Amee is excited to be a part of launching Chronic Illness Grit and Grace into its next stage and helping other women know they are not alone.
Lyn Lindbergh
Board Member-Treasurer
Lyn Lindbergh is the Founder and CEO of “Couch to Active”, where she motivates people living with chronic illness to move however their body will allow. She spent decades as a high-performing manager in corporate pressure cookers before she left to start her own company. Lyn has a degree in education, several fitness certifications, and brings a wealth of knowledge to our board. She was also one of our founding group members and a constant encourager to those around her. You can catch her as the host of the “Health and Fitness Motivation” Podcast and also as cohost of “The Lindberghs” podcast, which she hosts with her husband Eric. Lyn lives in Washington with her husband, two grown boys sweet and dog, Nanu.
Melissa Anderson
Board Member-Secretary
Melissa is a true Chronic Illness Warrior. She is a Thyroid Cancer survivor and lives daily with Fibromyalgia and Anxiety. She is constantly striving to find new ways to not only alleviate symptoms, but to live a life full of vitality despite them. She has a Bachelors degree in Education, a Masters in Leadership and Administration and has worked with various schools and organizations to improve the lives of children and adults from various backgrounds. Traveling is a passion of hers that helps her deal with her chronic illness. “I believe I was born with a wanderer’s soul and a servant’s heart because being of service and helping others is what I am most passionate about in life and am excited to do so through this amazing organization.”