Joy In The Journey

Today's episode is a very tender story about loss, and while it might tug at your heartstrings, it's also an incredibly inspiring story about finding joy and hope within grief. Only three short days after taking her very first child home, Heather Earl noticed a devastating rash on her little newborn, Shealyn. After rushing to the doctor, getting redirected to the children's ER, and having to wait...

Is it possible to experience incredible joy through moments of extreme pain? Jennifer Trepanier has dedicated her life's work to bringing happiness into the lives of those going through difficult health journeys. But she is no stranger to hardship herself: having struggled with a rare autoimmune condition her entire life and even facing the prospect of death, Jennifer joined her personal experienc...

When you're in the thick of a hospital journey or visit, even the simplest tasks can leave you feeling disheartened. Suddenly, finding parking, getting food, asking questions, and preparing for the next visit can become overwhelming and daunting. But there are extraordinary professionals out there whose entire career revolves around guiding, comforting, and empowering parents and children during t...

Walking into the NICU world for the very first time can feel scary and overwhelming. But with the right support, a little bit of hope, and some expert advice it can turn into a space where you and your family feel heard, supported, and safe. If you or anyone you know is navigating life in the NICU, I hope you'll share this special episode with them. We brought together a group of wonderful profess...

In 2005, Dr. Michele Arnold went through a very traumatic loss. Before delivering her daughter Camille, she was told there was no heartbeat at her final OB scan. A few days later, she delivered her stillborn baby girl. But even though life threw one of the toughest challenges at her, Michele has found ways to create something beautiful from grief. She shares her story openly and with a lot of vuln...

NICU doctors and nurses work tirelessly and passionately to keep babies safe and their families informed. But the experience and uncertainty that comes with it is never easy.  Thankfully, there are truly amazing nurses out there that help soften the blow of the experience. And today's guest is Kelley Thompson, and she is a ray of sunshine to anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting her. Kelley h...

Navigating an illness with a loved one is a journey that requires perseverance, strength, and community. But when you add a hospitalization away from home to the mix, it can truly feel unfathomable. I can certainly relate to this after my own personal experience with Mattea. Thankfully, I had the honor of witnessing firsthand the love, hope, and community that lives within the walls of the Ronald...

How can we take the traumatic challenges that life presents us, like a difficult diagnosis or the loss of a child, and create something beautiful?  Today's guest is Jessica Lindberg, and her story is a lovely example of what is possible when you let your passion be your guide.  Jessica is a mom to four beautiful boys (three living) who tragically lost her oldest son Ethan to congenital heart disea...

It's perfectly natural for people to take things for granted from time to time. But when you're raising a child who is completely blind, today's guest will tell you that you definitely gain a new perspective and truly see the beauty in everything. Joining me for this inspiring conversation is Nicole Carr. Nicole is a nurse and a beautiful mom to 3 kiddos, Nora, Aubrey, and Mac. Now that she has se...

Today's episode is a story of hope, healing, and unfortunately heartbreak.  My guest today is Joel Clausen. While this story might be an emotional and difficult one to hear, I hope you'll get a ton of value as he shares his baby boy's journey and how their tragedy turned into life saving legislation.  When their youngest son, Bryce, was only 6 months old, Joel and his wife Andrea noticed he was ex...

The journey doesn't end when your child graduates from the NICU. And when a parent is told that their child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, finding an education program that suits their needs is just one step on their educational path. My guest today, Kristi Herschberger, is no stranger to children with special needs; she has dedicated herself to teaching special education for 14 years and...

Today's episode comes with a bit of a warning, as this one might tug at your heartstrings a little harder than usual. I hope you'll join me as Amanda Beedle shares her journey with her two little girls. Amanda's daughters, Annabelle and Abigail, were both diagnosed at an early age with an extremely rare genetic disorder called Batten disease. It's so rare that, on average, only 20 children are bor...

For NICU parents, watching their child graduate from the NICU feels like an enormous relief! It's such an important milestone and deserves to be celebrated and cherished. However, sometimes it doesn't take long before you realize that the journey is far from over. But, if you're surrounded by the right people, it can also be a very rewarding one filled with hope, strength, and joy. However, someti...

If you are a caregiver of a child with special needs, then you'll probably relate to the feeling of being overwhelmed and never getting a break. Which begs the question: who is caring for the caregivers? Today's guest, Jessica Ronne, is a true warrior and inspiration: she is a wife, mother to 8 kids, author, teacher, and founder of a non-profit dedicated to providing respite breaks for special nee...

If you're a parent with a kiddo in the NICU, wouldn't it be amazing if there was an app on your phone that could help you understand what to expect and allow you to comfortably get answers to your questions without feeling like a burden to the medical staff? Today's guest is Dr. Yaya Ren, and with her partner, Dr. Bree Andrews, they have developed an amazing resource for NICU families that will cr...

One of the most painful questions for parents who have suffered from the loss of a child is, "How many kids do you have?" Not because we don't want to share the beautiful stories of our children and their journeys, but because sometimes it can be hard to know just how much to share. In today's episode, I am speaking to Stefanie Boyce, a national speaker, teacher, yoga instructor, and most importan...

What do you do when everything you thought being a parent meant gets turned upside down with one diagnosis? How do you deal with the isolation of being a NICU parent? In today's episode, I'm speaking with Tyler Simon who works at the University of Chicago Medical Center - which was also where her oldest son Bennett, now five years old, spent the first 4 months of his life. After a fetal MRI discov...

When Jacqueline Tillman's daughter Tiana was just 3 months old, she went into heart failure. After the second trip to the hospital, Tiana was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, which unfortunately meant that she would need a heart transplant. There is no doubt about how hard it is to wrap your head around the fact that one family needs to suffer a loss to help save your child, especially when...

When a mom has a newborn child in the NICU, every moment and every breath can be stressful. But when you have two preemies in the NICU, those worries are doubled. Today's guest knows exactly what it's like to have two kids in the hospital for several months and has published a survival guide to share her professional advice and what she learned from her own experience. Dr. Heather Evans is a proud...

I am delighted to welcome Mary Strenski to the podcast as we first met when my daughter, Mattea, was in the hospital. Nurses play such a huge role in supporting parents who have sick kids, and I'm excited to be able to share some words of wisdom from her today. Mary is a Critical Care Nurse at Comers Children's Hospital and has been a nurse for over 30 years. She started her career in the adult su...

Sometimes life deals a hand to you that most people would never choose for themselves, but that doesn't mean that finding joy in your own journey isn't possible. And today's guests speak to this in a way that is just so beautiful to see. Tommi is a mother of 3 wonderful girls. Her oldest daughter Amanda was diagnosed with a rare form of Spina Bifida, a debilitating and progressive neurological con...

It's not uncommon for a family to experience kindness and generosity when a child is diagnosed with cancer. But when that family finds joy in paying it forward, it's a pretty incredible thing to see. That's why I'm so excited to share the journey that Jordan and Nikki Arseneau are on with you today. Their medical journey started a little over a year ago when their 4-year-old, Joy, was diagnosed wi...

Jen Gawel has not only mastered the hardships in her life but puts effort and intention into giving others the tools to master their own challenging paths, and she does it all while oozing joy from every fiber of her being. If you ask Jen about her family, she will tell you that her family is just like everyone else's; they just accommodate a few differences along the way. She's a mom of three kid...

I am so grateful and honored to have today's guest on the podcast. Carrie Meghie has been recognized as one of CNN's Heroes and is affectionately known as the "parking fairy" through the work she is doing with her foundation. It's an amazing story and I can't wait for you to hear it. When you have a child in the NICU, as a parent, the only thing you want to do is be there with them every moment th...

Sometimes it's hard to find the strength to move on when you feel like your feet are stuck in cement. Today's guest knows exactly how that feels and has made it her life mission to make that support more readily available for girls like her⎯ girls that need to feel a little less alone in their community. Cara Belvin is the founder and CEO of the non-profit organization called empowerHER®, a place...