Our Story
A childhood is bigger than a diagnosis.
Kendall and Paige are the co-founders of Beyond the Bedside Foundation. At the heart of their work is a simple conviction: children experiencing medical isolation deserve to be known for who they are—not only for what they are going through.
The ordinary things matter.
Talking about a favorite book. Sharing something funny. Finding someone who likes the same game. Picking up a conversation where it left off.
These are the everyday moments of friendship. When health interrupts school, activities, and time with friends, our mission is to help make room for those moments in another way.
The relationship is the reason.
A care package can carry a favorite activity. A letter can carry a question worth answering. A drawing can carry a story.
What matters is the attention behind it: remembering an interest, noticing what someone enjoys, and making the next exchange personal.
Beyond the Bedside puts that relationship at the center. The materials support the friendship—not the other way around.
Student leadership. Adult responsibility.
Students bring creativity, curiosity, and their own interests to a friendship. The program model pairs that energy with adult oversight, clear boundaries, and family involvement.
Meaningful student leadership belongs alongside responsible adults—not in place of them.
A commitment that lasts beyond a school year.
Continuity is part of our vision for the foundation. School teams, adult advisers, and thoughtful leadership transitions can help relationships continue as students move into new roles.
Growth matters only when the attention and follow-through behind each friendship can grow with it.
What “beyond the bedside” means.
It means seeing the whole child: their imagination, interests, friendships, and everyday life.
Our name reflects the part of childhood we exist to support.