Voices of The Willows

This episode of “Voices of The Willows” features Jan Koenig, a Search Angel who helps adoptees find their biological families with DNA technology and genealogical research. The conversation between host KelLee Parr and Jan provides a look into the world of Search Angels and the complexities of adoption discovery through The Willows. Jan’s involvement is deeply personal. His wife gave birth at The...

This episode of “Voices of The Willows” features Russ Sifers, a Willows baby born at the sanitarium in 1948. Russ talks with KelLee about his adoption experience and reuniting with two of his biological siblings. Adopted just two weeks after he was born, Russ was welcomed into a family that already had two adopted children from Kansas City. At 10 years old, Russ was told that he had been adopted....

On Episode 3 of Voices of The Willows , KelLee Parr shares the emotional story of his mother’s journey to find her birth parents after being adopted from The Willows Maternity Sanitarium in 1925. Born on Valentine’s Day, Wanda Keller Parr was adopted into a family with two children, including a boy, who was also adopted from The Willows. Shortly after Wanda joined the family, her adoptive parents...

Episode two of “Voices of The Willows” features Patty Brasel, a baby given up for adoption at The Willows Maternity Sanitarium in Kansas City, Mo. Patty talks with longtime friend and Voices of The Willows podcast host KelLee Parr about her connections to The Willows and her experience reuniting with her parents. Patty’s adoptive grandmother, Nell McEwen, worked in the front office of The Willows....

Established in 1905, The Willows Maternity Sanitarium was started by Edwin and Cora Mae Haworth out of their home in Kansas City. After learning that a family friend’s daughter was unmarried and pregnant, the couple decided to take her in, care for her during pregnancy and then find a home for the child. From here, The Willows Maternity Sanitarium was born. “The Willows was established for the unf...

KelLee Parr introduces the new Voices of The Willows podcast featuring stories from adoptees and birth families from The Willows Maternity Sanitarium in Kansas City, Mo.