Episode 13: Jill Thompson - Inheritance of Hope

🎙️ NOW, NEAR & THE FUTURE - Season 2, Episode 3

Finding Hope in Terminal Illness: Jill Thompson's Mission to Serve 7 Million Families

Every single day, 562 children in the United States lose a parent to terminal illness. Yet this crisis remains largely invisible—until it touches your own life.

In this deeply moving episode, we sit down with Jill Thompson, Public Relations Director at Inheritance of Hope, a Jacksonville-based nonprofit that's transforming how young families navigate one of life's most devastating journeys.

🔑 KEY TOPICS:

• The invisible crisis: 7 million people in young families facing terminal illness
• Four lifesaving programs: Legacy Retreats, Hope Hub, Hope@Home Groups, Legacy Videos
• The "7 Million Favorites" vision
• How to find hope without denying reality
• Jill's bone marrow donor story and how it came full circle
• Scaling compassion while maintaining personal touch
• Why legacy matters when tomorrow isn't guaranteed

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction 02:30 - NOW: The Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight 15:00 - Around the Room 18:00 - Jill Thompson Introduction 20:00 - NEAR: Growing Hope & Scaling Impact 32:00 - Across the Pond 37:00 - FUTURE: 7 Million Favorites Vision 44:00 - How to Get Involved

💡 ABOUT OUR GUEST: Jill Thompson is the Public Relations Director at Inheritance of Hope, where she's served for over 15 years in roles including Brand Director and Family Legacy Director. She's been instrumental in growing the organization from serving their 100th family in 2011 to reaching families in all 50 states. Jill is also a bone marrow donor whose recipient's widow now supports Inheritance of Hope—a beautiful story of hope coming full circle.

🔗 INHERITANCE OF HOPE: Website: InheritanceOfHope.org Instagram: @InheritanceOfHope Facebook: facebook.com/InheritanceOfHope Phone: 914.213.8435 Email: Info@InheritanceOfHope.org

Ways to Help:

• Volunteer (online or in-person)
• Make a Legacy Video
• Refer a family
• Become a monthly donor
• Apply for programs if you're facing terminal illness

📍 Hope Hub Locations: Washington DC, Jacksonville FL, Twin Cities MN, Tampa FL

🎧 ABOUT NOW, NEAR & THE FUTURE: Hosted by Quinn Harrington (Jacksonville, FL) and Naila Mir (London, UK), we explore business, culture, and innovation through three temporal lenses: what's happening NOW, what's coming NEAR (3-5 years), and what the FUTURE holds (15-20 years out).

FOLLOW US: 🌐 Website: NowNearFuture.com 📸 Instagram: @NowNearFuture 💼 LinkedIn: @NowNearFuture 

LISTEN: 🎵 Spotify: [Link] 🍎 Apple Podcasts: [Link] 📦 Amazon Music: [Link]

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS:

• Quinn Harrington - Founder of HDco, Jacksonville-based branding agency. Creates keynote videos and brand experiences. @hdco
• Naila Mir - Founder of P3 Connect (People with Purpose), London-based consultant specializing in employee engagement and purpose-driven organizations. @p3connectuk

📩 CONTACT US: General: quinn@hdco.co Guest Inquiries: pepper@lindseyfilms.com

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses terminal illness, grief, and loss. Please take care while listening.

#InheritanceOfHope #TerminalIllness #LegacyVideos #FamilySupport #GriefSupport #Nonprofit #Jacksonville #HopeHub #NowNearFuture #Podcast #JillThompson

Transcript

00;00;23;44 - 00;00;53;06
Unknown
And I'm Nyla mir. Today we're talking about something that affects 7 million people in the US. Young families facing the loss of a parent to terminal illness.

00;00;53;11 - 00;01;09;39
Unknown
So our guest today, Jill Thompson from inheritance of Hope, an organization that's transforming how families navigate one of life's most difficult journeys at two. Thank you for being with us.

00;01;09;44 - 00;01;20;04
Unknown
I am so glad you're here, and we're going to learn a lot from you. And so, as our show says, we're, now there in the future. So we're going to jump in to the now.

00;01;20;29 - 00;01;21;12
Unknown
now

00;01;22;14 - 00;01;31;20
Unknown
Joe, the statistics that, Quinn just mentioned, about 562 children losing a parent to terminal illness every single day, staggering.

00;01;31;25 - 00;01;39;23
Unknown
Yet this crisis feels invisible. What do you think that is? Why do you think that is?

00;02;45;54 - 00;03;08;05
Unknown
Yeah. You're right, it is difficult. So when we think about our own parents. Who? My mom, thank God, is healthy as she could be at the age of 76. But it is difficult when it comes to thinking about the side of when if she's ever gone away. And how do we deal with that? We try to brush it away, you know, thinking it's not going to happen yet.

00;03;08;14 - 00;03;24;03
Unknown
Right? But anything can happen when we think about young families with, facing terminal illness, what does that actually look like? Can you, like, paint a picture for us and our viewers, of what that looks like and the people that you're serving.

00;04;11;25 - 00;04;23;23
Unknown
Right.

00;04;23;28 - 00;05;08;12
Unknown
And you talked about, like, terminal illness, things like cancer. Would dementia kind of fall into that terminal illness? Because that's a tough topic. Like my auntie had that she had, dementia as well as Parkinson's at the same time at the age of 75. And that was a thing we had to deal with her, her kids.

00;07;16;20 - 00;07;19;52
Unknown
Yeah.

00;07;19;57 - 00;07;33;46
Unknown
So let's talk a bit more about programs that you run, because I think you have four main programs Legacy retreats, Hope hub, Hope at home groups, and legacy videos. Tell us a bit more about about these.

00;10;01;54 - 00;10;23;17
Unknown
We will definitely want to talk more about this. I know we we jumped right into, now, but maybe we go back a bit and talk about how did inheritance, of hope start? I know it started with the founder, but maybe you tell us about it and how, you know, what were they trying to do? What gaps were they trying to fail?

00;11;59;03 - 00;12;02;47
Unknown
Of of.

00;12;02;52 - 00;13;02;50
Unknown
It.

00;14;14;09 - 00;14;23;27
Unknown
You do. That was my next question. How did you start getting involved? So you've answered it already. I'll be out of time on this segment.

00;14;23;31 - 00;14;25;35
Unknown
Okay. Let's go around there.

00;14;25;45 - 00;14;27;02
Unknown
Around the room.

00;16;06;17 - 00;16;16;20
Unknown
So.

00;16;36;48 - 00;17;06;04
Unknown
Story. Story corpse. She sent. Story corpse.

00;17;06;08 - 00;17;28;39
Unknown
Me meet. Well, this is a great conversation because, I started my own company, which is around three connect, which is really about people with purpose. And it all stemmed from that legacy discussion or the legacy thought I had in my mind. Right. So it's always been about helping people. How do I help people navigate, discover what their purpose is in life?

00;17;28;39 - 00;17;53;17
Unknown
So currently I'm doing that. So I spend most of my half of my time in charity work supporting education in Pakistan. So I've got a few things that I've got now to plan for. Yeah. So that's what's keeping me busy nowadays, other than work and my little baby, Aisha, who is my legacy too. Yes. So all those things that I want to do for her, that's in my mind.

00;17;53;31 - 00;18;12;37
Unknown
Yeah. Jim.

00;18;12;42 - 00;18;31;05
Unknown
Hey, I've always been in sustainability, and you're being too kind. But, you know, Jill, this is like a I get very sensitive and emotional so I can end up crying in between if, if it's, you know, I do cry a lot very easily. So. Yeah.

00;18;31;10 - 00;18;41;56
Unknown
I have mine. So should we ask? Yes. Jill.

00;19;10;10 - 00;19;17;47
Unknown
What?

00;19;17;52 - 00;19;27;26
Unknown
Oh, wow. Young you? Well, didn't even think your son's getting married to.

00;19;27;31 - 00;19;42;21
Unknown
Wow, wow. Well, let's talk more about her than Quinn.

00;20;05;10 - 00;20;54;43
Unknown
Let's, Wow.

00;20;54;48 - 00;21;15;17
Unknown
First.

00;23;17;18 - 00;23;35;19
Unknown
That's beautiful.

00;23;35;24 - 00;23;56;46
Unknown
And that just shows. That just shows. When you're thinking about doing something, you do it because anything can happen. Any time the impact happens. Any time. Right? So I do things like, now one of my things is like, don't have regrets. If you're thinking about it, do it. A you don't want to regret it later and something might come out of it.

00;23;56;51 - 00;24;03;26
Unknown
Yeah. That's beautiful.

00;24;03;31 - 00;24;06;38
Unknown
Yeah. Let's do this.

00;24;06;53 - 00;24;07;51
Unknown
near

00;25;35;45 - 00;25;39;34
Unknown
And and.

00;25;39;39 - 00;26;33;41
Unknown
Yeah, yeah.

00;27;20;50 - 00;27;28;09
Unknown
Okay.

00;27;33;02 - 00;28;11;57
Unknown
Great.

00;28;12;02 - 00;28;29;45
Unknown
That's great Quinn I know I don't know if we're going to go into the legacy videos. I really want to know about these legacy videos because I, I'm interested in see what I want to do. Are we going to talk about it now or should we talk about it later?

00;28;29;50 - 00;28;33;28
Unknown
Yes.

00;28;33;33 - 00;28;38;30
Unknown
Because now I'm. I.

00;28;38;35 - 00;28;42;33
Unknown
Yes. It.

00;28;42;38 - 00;28;47;07
Unknown
How many have you recorded so far? How do we do this? If I want to do one?

00;31;57;22 - 00;32;10;59
Unknown
So I'm based in London. Can I get that service? Okay, okay.

00;32;11;04 - 00;32;16;53
Unknown
Excellent. Across. Let's do that. Let's do that.

00;32;17;13 - 00;32;18;48
Unknown
across the pond,

00;32;19;08 - 00;32;36;22
Unknown
And we're going straight to jail on this one. Do inheritance of Hope County cells. Oh, it's exactly what I was asking. Right. So it says families in the US, but it's not just uniquely, American. The issue. Have you had conversations about expanding internationally?

00;33;35;18 - 00;33;41;13
Unknown
I will commit to doing that on this show. Yes.

00;33;41;18 - 00;33;44;01
Unknown
Yes.

00;34;52;23 - 00;34;59;05
Unknown
Yes. Quinn. So I'm thinking, shall we move to our future

00;35;00;49 - 00;35;01;51
Unknown
the future.

00;35;02;29 - 00;35;12;05
Unknown
Okay. So, Joe, this is where we get out our imaginary crystal ball. And we talk about what's happening in your mind for the future.

00;35;12;05 - 00;35;14;33
Unknown
So your vision is called. This is really good.

00;35;14;33 - 00;35;42;06
Unknown
So your vision is called 7 Million Favorites, ensuring that all 7 million people in young families facing terminal illnesses feel loved as God's favorite child. That's not serve. That's not serve more families. That's like transforming an entire space. Can you tell us what that looks like for you? The future in 15 to 20 years, whether that's your organization or even what you're dealing with in terms of terminal illnesses.

00;39;12;25 - 00;39;40;32
Unknown
Yes, it's a.

00;39;50;32 - 00;40;14;48
Unknown
Where we will go in, listen to those podcast and get some of those stories. So back to this about your vision. So Christine Milligan, your co-founder, who passed away, before she died, she had said she was proud that people would there not because of us, but because they share our vision. How do you keep that founding vision alive?

00;40;14;52 - 00;40;17;12
Unknown
And while you're evolving?

00;41;09;06 - 00;41;16;52
Unknown
And, what is your vision now? You know, up for inter inheritance. Hope. What do you want people to remember decades from now?

00;42;20;17 - 00;42;48;32
Unknown
Which, Quinn, do you have a question? What would you like me?

00;43;47;40 - 00;43;53;46
Unknown
So why?

00;43;53;51 - 00;43;57;16
Unknown
It's.

00;43;57;21 - 00;44;06;52
Unknown
So.

00;44;14;14 - 00;44;33;11
Unknown
Yes. And and listen, I'm here in London. So as you're expanding, if you need to talk to me. And if we can do something for you always happy to help and be part of your journey to.

00;44;33;16 - 00;44;33;58
Unknown
Yeah.

00;44;35;53 - 00;44;45;01
Unknown
Thank you. Jill, this has been amazing chatting to you. And there's a lot more we wanted to talk about, but we ran out of time that maybe we can follow on a conversation.

00;44;45;06 - 00;45;21;39
Unknown
And even if that's personally with each other. So that's a wrap of our this of this episode. Now near in the future, you can find us on all our usual platforms Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon, and YouTube. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn at. Now near future, or visit us on now Near future.com.

00;45;21;44 - 00;46;08;21
Unknown
And Joe. Oh sorry.

00;46;08;26 - 00;46;19;35
Unknown
Thank you. And as always, stay curious. Can keep dreaming if it gets in the future.