Grief And Healing Episodes

This episode is full of tangible truth about what it means to be a caregiver and advocate. Kelly shares about her daughter's epilepsy diagnosis and how it changed her entire world. After a normal pregnancy and delivery, Adelaide wasn't gaining weight and had low muscle tone which was the beginning of her epilepsy diagnosis. Kelly became involved in CURE Epilepsy's mission and shares how Adelaide's spirit lives on through the work she does today. **Trigger warning: Kelly talks about her daughter...

Cindy and Gavin share about their son Ryan and his battle with Osteosarcoma. Cindy shares about how she created a Case for Smiles to help her cope with Ryan's diagnosis. Gavin brings the perspective of dad and professional and shares how he started a new position at the Hospital his son was being treated at the very same day as a diagnosis. They openly share the ups and downs of their journey and how Ryan's legacy lives on today. [3:16] Introducing their family [5;34] A bike accident lead to t...

Episode 126 | Supporting Children in Hospice On this week's episode, Shani Thornton, CCLS, from Child Life Mommy shares how to support children in hospice. Shani wears many different hats in the Child Life world including supporting children in the hospice setting .Shani shares how to connect with children during this difficult time and ways to explain things that are honest and easy to understand. To help children feel more connected during this challenging time she shares some of the meaningf...

Friends, you are not going to want to miss this episode! On today's episode of the podcast,we hear about Laura's Birth story and the beginning of her son Trey's journey with congenital Leukemia. Laura shares the raw emotion and grief when she and her husband learn of Trey's diagnosis. She goes intimately into detail about her first time seeing her newborn son, how it broke her to her core and how she began to pick up the pieces. Laura shares how her friends rallied behind her during this extreme...

This episode is sponsored by SmileMakers Abbie Pabon and Emily Enstad share their motherhood journeys through the pandemic, how it shaped their careers and how they created a company that gives hands on tools to help children regulate and express their emotions. In this episode, you will learn more about: +Learn how to empower children with tools and strategies they can access in moments of dysregulation. +How to be self-compassionate as a parent +Learn about current barriers for parents, and...

For today's 12 minute talk, I'm speaking with Kat Harrison. At the end of 2021, I shared Kat's episode (episode 99) in which she talked about what it was like being a teenager with chronic illness. During that episode, we touched on what helped her the most when she was a teenager in the hospital and how to support adolescents coping with different medical or mental challenges. I'm so excited to share this talk with you today so you can be more prepared when you're talking to your own teenager o...

Today's guest is Betsy, from an organization called Hope for HIE (Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy). HIE refers to brain injury in an infant, and Betsy will share more specifics about the condition and her family's experience with it in our discussion. I originally learned about this organization through working in the NICU here in Texas, and it is a wonderful source of support for parents struggling in completely unknown territory with their babies. In this episode, we talk about… [1:19] HIE: Hy...

As we kick off the new year, my guest Christiana is sharing the story of her son's osteosarcoma. Nathaniel has passed away, but his family created Nathaniel's Childhood Cancer Foundation in his name and legacy. Christiana walks us through his experience with osteosarcoma from the beginning, and she shares details about his battles with childhood cancer. In this episode, we talk about… [1:27] Introducing Christiana and her family [3:09] The beginning of Nathaniel's story with osteosarcoma [11:49]...

My guest today, Kat, is sharing her story as a child and now as an adult with chronic illness. I think it's important for us to change our perspective a bit and hear what the patient has to say. Kat is the community manager at The Mighty, and she has also written two children's books: Migraine and Mia and Surgery on Sunday. She is such a creative spirit, and she gets really honest with us about what it was like being a teenager in the hospital. She shares what her parents did that worked well, w...

My guest today, Samarrah, is sharing her story about her son being diagnosed with a brain tumor. I encourage you to be present as you listen to her story and take the wisdom she is offering. In this episode, we talk about… [1:49] Introducing Samarrah and her family [2:53] Getting the diagnosis of an ependymoma brain tumor [6:19] Processing the brain tumor diagnosis [8:44} Treatment for ependymoma [12:43] The role of parents in a child's cancer treatment [15:32] Finding support and community [19:...

Today I'm introducing you to Jenny Hull, a single mom to Josie who just turned 20 years old. Jenny is also the CEO and founder of a nonprofit organization called Once Upon a Room. They are changing the game for kids in hospitals, and we'll get into all the amazing things they do toward the end of our conversation. Jenny is one of the most comforting and compassionate people I've ever had the pleasure of talking with, and her family story is unlike any other - from head-conjoined twins given less...

It's an incredibly rare experience to sit next to someone else who "gets" what you're going through… exactly. That's what support groups are for, right? Well, today you're getting an inside look into what young adults who have experienced childhood cancer are saying in their support group. These amazing individuals were treated at Hershey Medical Center and now share their support group on a live forum through their Life On Pause podcast. Go listen and share ALL of their episodes. We can learn s...

I connected with one of today's guests, Brady, through our shared alma mater, Penn State University. He has dealt with cancer not once, but twice, and he agreed to come on the podcast with his mother, Lisa. I'm so honored to have both of them on the show to share their experiences, and to continue to spread awareness about this terrible disease during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In this episode, we talk about… [2:35] Lisa's and Brady's family [3:30] Brady's cancer diagnosis [9:05] Feeling ...

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Over the last four-and-a-half years, I have had the opportunity and honor to interview many parents who are a part of a club that they didn't ask to be in. There is a common bond when you can look at another parent and say you have been through exactly what they are going through. I wanted to go through some of the amazing stories we have been able to share, and give you some of the clips and audio tips that we have gotten from so many families on t...

"For me, it's balancing supporting him in full honor of his disabilities and making sure I am advocating for him AND relating to him as fully capable and strong." Katie, Certified Child Life Specialist talks with mom of four, life coach and podcast host, Kara Ryska. Kara's son was diagnosed with a brain tumor shortly after he turned 18 months old. We talk about what it's like to hear that piece of information in the waiting room of a hospital and how differently people can react in that moment. ...

Answering parent questions in a 12 minute talk. Katie, Certified Child Life Specialist talks with Lauren Holley, CCLS and Professor discusses the topic: How to Talk to Kids About Death. We talk about: +How to concretely explain death to kids at all stages of development +What emotional responses kids may display after the conversation +Ways to keep the conversation "ongoing" to help kids feel supported When parents feel empowered, everyone wins – kids thrive and the care team excels! Links and R...

Katie, Certified Child Life Specialist talks with Lauren Holley, CCLS and Professor answers the question and discusses the topic: Should Young Kids Go To Funerals? We talk about: +How to assess whether or not your child is ready to attend the funeral +Concrete language to prepare a young child for a funeral +Ways to support your child during and after the funeral Have you heard? The Child Life On Call mobile app for parents, kids and their care team will be available in 2022. Sign up to stay inf...

"It was a life or death... that was our life and we rose to the occasion." Katie, Certified Child Life Specialist talks with Laurie Strongin from Hope for Henry. We talk about: +How parenthood started out with hearing the news no parent wants to hear +How Laurie's growing family lived out of hotels and Ronald McDonald Homes for years +The impact her first born's death has had on his siblings +How the first birthday without a "birthday boy" sparked a mission that has reached over 55,000 children ...

Answering Parent Questions: How Do I Tell My Kids that I Have Cancer? Katie, Certified Child Life Specialist gives you tips, language and things to consider when you're telling children about a cancer diagnosis in the family. We talk about: +How to assess your child's reaction to the news +Concrete language to describe cancer and chemotherapy +Ways to keep the conversation open-ended Have you heard? The Child Life On Call mobile app for parents, kids and their care team will be available in ...

Katie, Certified Child Life Specialist talks with Sara Olsher, mom, cancer survivor, and owner of Mighty and Bright. Not only does Sara talk with us about getting diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 34, but she also talks about how she went through it as a single mother navigating life with a six-year-old. We talk about +How she advocated for herself and encourages parents to ask the same things for themselves that they do for their children +How asking for help was non-negotiable and ...

"Being a child life specialist with this population is not just about supporting them through their hospital experience, its about preparing them for the rest of their life." Katie, Certified Child Life Specialist talks with two child life specialists, Katie and Jessica, from the transplant team at MedStar Georgetown Hospital. These essential members of the care team talk about: The ways they developmentally and emotionally support pediatric transplant families How they address hard questions fo...

"We had to learn everything we could because our son's life was literally on the line." Katie, Certified Child Life Specialist talks with Todd and Morgan who just a few weeks after the birth of their first child were faced with the truth that he had a life threatening condition called Biliary Atresia. The cure? A liver transplant. Despite the many challenges they faced, Todd and Morgan talk about: +How they used family to be their "google doctors" +How to find your voice during bedside rounds...

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Elizabeth, mom to three girls, shares with us her experience of having a daughter with cancer. In just an hour and a half, her 9-year-old daughter went from a pediatricians office to a cancer ward. Elizabeth discusses her Elizabeth's "out of body" experience, how she was able to identify the "gifts" in each of her girls, and offers wisdom and compassion to others going through similar experiences. We also talk about how the global pandemic of Covid19 and subsequent quarantine has impacted their...