Local Community Advocate Honored as Remarkable Women Recipient on WGN-TV

St. Charles, IL — Limb Difference Collective Foundation is proud to announce that co-founder Ali Barnum, MA, LCPC, NCC, has been recognized as a local honoree in the Remarkable Women initiative and was recently featured on WGN-TV as part of the national program presented by Nexstar Media Group, Inc..

Barnum was selected for her leadership and advocacy in creating Limb Difference Collective Foundation alongside co-founder Kari Treat. The organization supports families navigating limb differences through connection, resources, advocacy, and community-centered programming. The televised segment highlighted the foundation’s mission to ensure that no family facing a limb difference diagnosis feels isolated. What began as lived experience grew into a grassroots community movement.

In 2024, following their first Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month (LLLDAM) zoo meet-up, Barnum and Treat launched the Parenting Children with Limb Differences Podcast to extend support and conversations beyond in-person gatherings. As participation and outreach expanded, they formally established Limb Difference Collective Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2025 to sustain annual awareness events, host ongoing meet-ups, and introduce initiatives such as “Hugs-in-a-Box” care packages for newly connected families.
As part of this recognition, Barnum will travel to Nashville to stand alongside other honorees from across the country, bringing national visibility to limb difference families and the importance of inclusive, family-centered advocacy.

“This recognition represents the families we serve,” said Barnum. “Visibility matters. Community matters. When families feel connected, everything changes.”

Limb Difference Collective Foundation continues to grow through partnerships with local businesses, medical providers, community organizations, and civic leaders committed to inclusion and accessibility.

Community organizations and businesses interested in partnership or sponsorship opportunities are encouraged to connect.

To learn more about Limb Difference Collective Foundation, this recognition, or to support the mission, visit:
https://limbdifferencecollective.org/remarkable?

Media Contact:
Kari Treat
Co-Founder, Limb Difference Collective Foundation
info@limbdifferencecollective.org
630-403-8076