Clare Byrne
Clare Byrne was born and raised in northern New Jersey and graduated from Seton Hall University with her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy in 2012. Ever since Clare can remember, God had etched in her heart the desire to serve children with disabilities. However, how this service was to take place was always a resounding question in her mind. In 2013, an opportunity arose for Clare to travel to Uganda, East Africa. There she volunteered for a year as an Occupational Therapist for a severely disabled population of children. When Clare was in Uganda, her heart was forever captured by how the children with disabilities were filled with boundless joy, compassion, and love, despite the obstacles they faced on a daily basis. Clare was struck by how these children seize the present moment and embrace it with gratitude. In their humble nature, they reveal that in order to live fully alive, the past should not rob you of the joy and gift of the present moment.
Clare’s heart was also torn by how the children with disabilities in Uganda are marginalized, abandoned, and rejected by society and how their basic God-given dignity is not recognized. This disparity made her heart restless and moved her to want to do something about it. In 2016, in Uganda, East Africa, Clare founded Imprint Hope, a non-profit organization designed to raise awareness, break down barriers, and overcome the stigma that children with disabilities in Uganda face on a daily basis.
