Joy In The Journey

Friendly Warning: The content in this episode may be difficult for some listeners In recent years we've seen a big shift toward mental health awareness, but unfortunately, our society doesn't always acknowledge mental health in the same way as physical health.  I am so grateful to have Kathi Meyers on the podcast today as a powerful reminder of the things we can do to prioritize our family's menta...

During his time in college, Dan Rubins wanted to get involved in a music program, but he found that many of them were generating competition among students, and he was seeking connection and community.  And so, Hear Your Song was born: a non-profit serving kids ages 6 to 18 with serious illnesses and complex health needs to make their voices heard through collaborative songwriting. Based in NYC bu...

Time passes very slowly when you're in a hospital waiting for updates on your child's surgery. But for Jennifer Fortin, seeing the Facebook updates on her phone in the hospital waiting room opened up a floodgate of tears. People from all over their community had started the hashtag #CarterStrong for their little boy, posting blue hearts, buying t-shirts, and sending prayers. And at that moment, Je...

When Shelly and Chad's little girl, Maddie, was diagnosed with a brain tumor at 9 years old, their regular lives with their five children were put on hold. Getting Maddie through surgery became their number one priority, and their family, friends, and neighborhood rallied together to help their family through it.  But one person in particular, Shelly's cousin, embodied what it truly means to show...

Advocating for our children is one of the most important parenting tasks there is; but it is one that becomes many times more challenging when it comes to children with special needs or going through difficult medical journeys. And when your child is diagnosed with a disease so rare that only a few other children in the entire world have been diagnosed with it, the process becomes much more challe...

When our children are experiencing big feelings, it can be very tempting as a parent to try to do everything in our power to make our children feel better. But what if the best thing we could do for them is actually help them experience their emotions with confidence, rather than running away from them? That is what Taes Leavitt, my guest on today's episode, has dedicated her life to: helping pare...

Caring for a hospitalized child or teenager can feel like a scary and overwhelming experience, but being the hospitalized child or teenager can truly make you feel like you're missing out on real-world experiences.  Thankfully, there are wonderful people who are making a difference to create fun experiences for these families. I'm thrilled to introduce you to today's guest, George Hardin, as he sh...

After the lessons and connections my family experienced during our journey in the NICU with our daughter Mattea, I knew I wanted to be a part of the moving force that helps so many families in the NICU find their own strength and support.  Today's guest is Theresa Schreiber. Theresa also knows what it's like to spend time in the NICU and lose a baby, and she talks about how she transformed that lo...

There are very few things as powerful as the strength, courage, and resilience parents find when caring for their sick children. As Dr. Patrick Myers puts it, it is "mind-blowing" what families can do when thinking about their kids. I thought a beautiful way to kick off 2023 would be to celebrate this bond that unites NICU families by inviting Dr. Patrick to share with us the biggest lessons he ha...

It's a new year and I thought there'd be no better way to start off 2023 than to introduce you to my good friend, Sarah Hemenover. Sarah and her family are such a breath of fresh air and a beautiful reminder that NICU experiences, while sometimes difficult, can have incredibly happy endings. Sarah and her husband Matthew are the parents to three beautiful children, and I'm so grateful to have them...

The holiday season is always an incredible time to make wishes come true, but for Gina Cordes and Lisa Holt, it's their full-time job. I invited these wonderful ladies because they are real-life Fairy Godmothers. Together, they have granted 40 wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, with no plans of stopping anytime soon. When we think of serving others, it's easy to focus on how it will benefit th...

Dave Blanchard, the Founder and CEO of the Og Mandino Group , has delivered over 500 powerful speeches everywhere from Boston to Budapest. And through them, he's made a rather heartbreaking discovery: everytime he asks his audience if they can remember the last time they truly felt heard and understood, only a few people actually raise their hand. And the few people that did could vividly remember...

When the Bruno family was in the thick of it with their daughter Holly fighting through the final stages of her battle with cancer, their community wanted to help. When Heidi was asked how they could help, she mentioned that they could help take care of some yard work that needed a little TLC as they were spending a lot of time at the hospital for Holly's treatments. What happened next was incredi...

In 2010, Banah left Syria with her 5 year old daughter Rama, and her 9 month old baby boy. Rama was diagnosed with Goldenhar Syndrome, and coming to the US for medical care was one of her only options. But just a few months later a war broke out in Syria making it impossible for Banah and her children to her homeland. As a result, they started from scratch and have been in the US ever since. The a...

As parents, we try to shelter our children from as much pain and danger as possible. But for a parent of a child with Brittle Bone Disease (Osteogenesis Imperfecta), even something as soft as a carpet can lead to a broken bone. Rachel Glad's son, Nathan, was diagnosed at birth with a severe form of this disease, which causes him to break a bone on a monthly basis (if not more) due to his bones bei...

This week felt like the perfect time to share my sincere thanks and gratitude to everyone who has been a part of the podcast. It's been such a wild ride since I recorded the first episode. I've had the pleasure of speaking with so many amazing human beings, and it fills my cup to hear their stories and nuggets of truth and to have the privilege to share them with you. In this episode, I wanted to...

Becoming a caregiver is typically not a journey you ease into: much like the poem "Welcome To Holland" reminds us, it's often like suddenly landing in rainy Holland when you set off to vacation in sunny Italy. "But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland." And since November...

As a mom who has had a sick child in the NICU, and later in the follow-up clinic, I cannot imagine how different our journey would have been if I had not received the help and care that I did from Mattea's medical team. Being in the NICU with your child can be an extremely scary experience and their support makes a world of a difference. It's my pleasure to introduce you to the doctors that comple...

When tragedy strikes, it's normal to want to turn inwards and shut out the rest of the world. But while focusing on the challenge ahead is important, it is also important to remember to stay open to receiving medical and emotional support to care packages… and even unexpected friendships. When Mattea was in the NICU, and I was in the thick of adapting to this life-changing event, Joann Martyn came...

As a parent of a child facing a medical challenge, it can be tempting to try to put on as many hats as possible: mom/dad, caregiver, nurse, and sometimes even a medical expert. We often hear doctors ask patients not to Google a diagnosis, but seeking out as much information as possible in the face of a challenge can feel like regaining some control. However, the problem is that carrying all this i...

When a parent drops off their child at daycare, getting a phone call during the day is rarely a good thing. And for Tim Eaker, it was life-changing. On Valentine's Day in 2014, Tim received a call from daycare that his son could not breathe and was headed to the hospital in an ambulance. After a few weeks in the ICU, Piersen's medical team broke the news that his son Piersen had been shaken at the...

Announcing a pregnancy and bringing a baby into the world can be one of life's most joyful experiences. Yet, according to the CDC , 1 in 5 couples struggle with infertility, and it's a topic many people don't feel comfortable talking about when they're in the middle of it. That's why I invited Laura Andersen to share her story with us today. Laura and her husband struggled with infertility for fou...

Navigating infant or pregnancy loss is confusing, heartbreaking, and can feel very lonely. So many things become difficult, including simple questions like "How many kids do you have?" Since October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month , I wanted to invite a guest that would be able to help the many families out there who may be walking through life after the loss of a child. I'm thrilled...

"Our body is made up of water, and music vibrates us." - Paul Cardall If you've ever had the perfect song start playing on the radio when you needed it most, listened to a song that made you cry, or felt nostalgic as music carried you back in time, then you know just how powerful music can be. I'm beyond delighted to welcome Paul Cardall to the show to have him share his insights on how music can...

We're often told that to be "tough," we have to push through our pain, show no signs of distress, and simply persevere. But Steve Magness' newest book, Do Hard Things , challenges that definition and outlines a much more beautiful and useful way to understand what it truly means to "be tough." And since such a huge aspect of finding joy in our journey is to learn how to embrace the less pleasant m...