In the Face of Illness: Recent Episodes
Forrest Spence Fund
In the Face of Illness is a podcast committed to supporting our listeners through education. Our podcast will both inform and support our listeners by discussing the many facets of childhood health and healthcare. We will interview both health care professionals, and families who have been through the fire to glean their wisdom and their advice for others who want to learn more. Ultimately, we are here to offer hope in the face of illness.
Pesi Katz chats with us about our upcoming No Show Ball on Saturday, February 8th in Memphis, TN. The No Show Ball comes to you in the form of a dinner in a cooler bag dropped off at your door. Purchase your cooler today through the link on our website!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Brooke Denson, shares the story of her daughter Audrey, who was admitted to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital at 5 weeks old, and went to be with Jesus on Good Friday of 2023. Brooke’s time with Audrey was short, but she is forever grateful to have loved and been loved by Audrey.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Joni Rose chats with us about her role in supporting mothers who are providing breastmilk to their preterm or medically fragile infants at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Brittany reflects on 2024 and the incredible milestones we have accomplished this year. We are so thankful for our donors, volunteers, staff, board members, and each of you!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guests, Heather Burgess and Kelley Smith chat with us about their roles working at Regional One NICU.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Abby Schroeppel chats with us about her son Jackson who passed away in 2016 and how her family felt blessed to honor his memory by donating books to children’s hospitals.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Jan Hill, assistant professor of Health Administration and Public Health at Baptist Health Sciences University, discusses social determinants of health and the partnership with Forrest Spence Fund by providing interns.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Mandy Parker chats with us about her and her husband’s adoption story of their son Caleb, who has special needs.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Brittany Spence chats with us about the past FSF events and the many upcoming events we have! For a list of our upcoming events, please go to forrestspencefund.org/events.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Vance Gieselmann shares her story of being diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases - Grave's Disease and Addison's Disease. In addition to being diagnosed with her own illnesses, Vance had four close relatives who passed away from various illnesses within a relatively short amount of time. Vance shares the hard and powerful lessons she has learned during this journey.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Jenny Campbell shares the story of her son Jack, who passed away in 2014 after a lengthy illness and a three month hospital stay at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Jane Thompson chats with us about her role as the program manager for Le Bonheur's Maternal Fetal Center. She and her team coordinate care for expectant mothers whose babies are diagnosed in utero with a congenital anomaly.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Charol Hewitt, chats with us about her role as the Community Home Visitation Program Educator at Le Bonheur Community Outreach. Charol and her team offer in-home services and education to the communities they serve.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guests, Ellis and Renner Lasley share their personal journey of being a sibling to a critically and chronically ill sister. Ellis and Renner are the siblings to Elizabeth (Zib), who was diagnosed in utero with a giant Omphalocele.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Erin Lasley shares with us the story of her daughter Elizabeth, fondly known as Zib, who was diagnosed in utero with a giant Omphalocele. Zib is now a typically functioning preschooler thanks to her incredible medical team at Le Bonheur. While Elizabeth's Le Bonheur journey is done, Erin has begun a new career serving as the Coordinator of the Family Resource Center as well as the Coordinator of All Kids Academy at Le Bonheur.
If you are interested in applying to be an intern with us, email your resume to Brittany.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guests, Vance and Ivy chat with us about why they chose to intern at the Forrest Spence Fund, what the internship is like, and how it has helped prepare them for their future jobs.
If you are interested in applying to be an intern with us, email your resume to Brittany.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guests, Julianne Scholes and Kate Baker are both Child Life Specialists at Spence and Becky Wilson Baptist Children’s Hospital. They chat with us about their roles as CCLS’ and how they help children going through experiences in the hospital.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Jessica Ganey, chats with us about her role as the Special Events Manager here at the Forrest Spence Fund. She shares the work she is doing, some exciting plans for the future, and the work she does outside of the Forrest Spence Fund.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Reeca Cole, shares with us the story of her son Truett. Reeca went into preterm labor with Truett, who spent 9 days in the NICU. Shortly after returning home, he became very sick and was later diagnosed with Bronchial Malacia. Reeca discusses the care Truett has, how he is doing now, and how this has affected their family.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Remera Cage Williams chats with us about her role as the program manager for Methodist Le Bonheur Community Outreach (MLCO)’s Community HIV Network. She explains the services they provide such as HIV testing, education, and prevention services for individuals throughout the community.
On May 14th, Methodist Le Bonheur will offer free HIV testing at 600 Jefferson Ave.
Follow Community HIV Network on social media through the links below:
https://www.tiktok.com/@chipmemphis
https://www.facebook.com/@CHIPMemphis
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Jennifer Taylor chats with us about her role as the manager of Safe Kids Mid-South and injury prevention at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Pesi Katz and Jessica chat with us about our upcoming Spring for Forrest Cocktail Party and Auction event on May 10th. We will have live music, delicious food, a live and silent auction, and more! You can purchase your tickets through our website at the cost of $100 per person. We hope to see you there!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Jack Chance chats with us about his experience of being a patient at Le Bonheur due to a blood clot in September of 2023. He shares what that was like for him and how he is doing now.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guests, Jessica and Jonathan Pounders share the story of their daughter Mollie. Before Mollie was born, Jessica found out that Mollie had Gastroschisis. They chat with us about their stay at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and how Mollie is doing now.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Brittany Chance, shares with us the experience her son, Jack had this past September. Six months ago their family ENT found a massive blood clot from an infection that caused a blockage. Jack went blind from the increased intracranial pressure and had a series of emergency surgeries to clear the infection. He was treated for meningitis and eventually had brain surgery to place a VP shunt. Jack is a walking miracle today! He is currently on blood thinners and will be a forever Le Bonheur patient. The Chance family will always be grateful for Le Bonheur and has plans to get involved and give back to this amazing hospital!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Ansley Prosser chats with us about her sister Carly who was diagnosed with Epilepsy when Ansley was eight years old. This is what took her family to LeBonheur Children’s hospital and from there she found her love for nursing. She was able to meet so many amazing doctors and nurses that she looks up to today.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Holly Carpenter shares with us the story of her son Jameson and his stay in the NICU. Jameson spent 31 days in the Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown NICU primarily for developmental milestones like learning to suck, swallow, and breathe. Despite challenges with his lung development and mild jaundice, his stay was mostly about growth and readiness to come home. Inspired by her journey, she began volunteering with the Forrest Spence Fund and in October of 2023 she became the Forrest Spence Fund Nashville Director.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Brittany Spence chats with us about our upcoming No Show Ball on Saturday, February 10th in Memphis, TN. The No Show Ball comes to you in the form of a dinner in a cooler bag dropped off at your door. Purchase your cooler today through the link on our website!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!
Our guest, Summer Currey shares with us the story of her son Avery who was diagnosed with Leukemia almost 2 years ago. During her free time, she enjoys spending time and exploring new places with her children.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Ann Barron has been a NICU nurse at Methodist Lebonheur Germantown Hospital since 2011. She chats with us about her role as a bedside nurse and what the job entails. She also talks about the support patients and families have while in the NICU during their difficult stay.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Pesi Katz chats with us about her journey living with Crohn’s disease and the struggles and blessings that have come with it. She talks about the support she has had from her medical team, what she has gained from this battle, and what others with this experience can take away.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Emily Harmon chats with us about her daughter Dollie and her journey with Myelomeningocele Spina Bifida at L4/L5. She works in Business Development for University Surgical Associates where she educates the community, the 35 amazing surgeons in the practice, and all of their subspecialties. Emily is married to her husband Adam, and they live in Chattanooga with their three children.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Julie Couch chats with us about her daughter Georgia Grace, and how the G.Grace Gallery was founded in honor of her. All sales from the online non-profit gallery directly support the work of The Forrest Spence Fund. In addition to her gallery, Julie is an interior designer working on full interior design projects. Julie is married to her husband Mark and they have two precious children, Gus, age 10, and Marlowe, age 5.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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The FSF Staff chat about their roles at the Fund and why they chose to work here.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Pesi Katz chats about our upcoming Mom’s Bereavement Support Group this Tuesday, October 17th. It will be in our new Counseling and Community Center at 2112 Court Ave from 6:30-7:45pm. Check out our social media for more information and upcoming support groups. We look forward to having you join us!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Christine Shull shares her story of her daughter Sunny and her journey with Broncopulmonary Dysplasia. Today she is a thriving toddler, who loves stirring up trouble with her little brother and partner in crime Buckley.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Anna Simmons shares her the story of her brave little boy, Luca. Listen to hear the support their family received along their journey.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Brittany Spence chats about our upcoming Open House on September 14th. Stop by from 11am-1pm and 4pm-7pm to see our new space and our Community and Counseling Center. We will have drinks and sweet treats for all ages. Our address is 2112 Court Ave, Memphis TN 38104. We hope to see you there!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Brittany Spence chats about our upcoming 5K on August 26th. Sign up by going to https://forrestspence5k.raceroster.com. We hope to see you there for a fun day!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Terry and Amy Prosser, from Graniteville, SC, had their youngest daughter, Carly, in 2012. When Carly was only 5 months old, she was diagnosed with cortical visual impairment and 2 months later began having infantile spasms, a catastrophic form of epilepsy. Terry researched doctors and hospitals that specialized in infantile spasms and quickly found Dr. James Wheless and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
The Prossers traveled to Memphis every couple of months for 8 years for Carly’s care that quickly evolved into seeing many specialists at Le Bonheur. She was diagnosed with Microcephaly-Capillary Malformation Syndrome in 2016 and passed away in 2021 at 9 years old. The Prossers are so grateful for the care and compassion Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Fed-Ex Family House, and the Forrest Spence Fund gave to them during their journey, and Amy still keeps in touch with many that became family to them.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Laurence and Callie Hammond joyfully welcomed their son Jack into the world in June of 2020 after years of inferility and a high-risk pregnancy, including a month of hospital bed rest. Born at just 2 pounds, Jack endured a long NICU stay, and he eventually came home with continued required medical support. As a pediatric specialist, Callie learned all about being on the other side of medicine. It taught her a whole new side of empathy, understanding, and hope that she applies daily to her own patients in her practice.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Dana Kim is a board-certified music therapist at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt working with critically and chronically ill children and their families. Dana utilizes evidence-based music interventions to promote relaxation, self-expression, and positive coping while reducing pain and anxiety. Dana has led multidisciplinary quality improvement teams focused on assessing and reducing perioperative anxiety, and she recently completed a research study exploring the impacts of music therapy on caregiver confidence and bonding with infants during hospitalization. When away from work, Dana enjoys spending time with her daughter, Carolyn, and shih-tzus, Duke and Clancy.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Joel and Kristen Campbell live in Nashville, TN. They met at Lipscomb University and have been married for eight years. Joel works as Director of Strategic Initiatives for a healthcare company that helps health plans manage high risk populations with substance use disorders. Kristen works part time as a nurse but mostly stays home with their children. They have Owen, who is 5, Hensley, who is almost 2, and Bodie, who passed away two days after he was born in 2019 from fetal hydrops caused by hemolytic disease of a newborn. In 2021, they welcomed their daughter, Hensley Bodie, at 34 weeks after 22 IVIG INFUSIONS during pregnancy and a lot of miracles by God. They live in the joy of God’s goodness and are so beyond thankful for His faithfulness.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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As a former pediatric nurse, Rachel Martin is now caring for her community in a completely different way. Rachel traded in her scrubs to pursue her dream in design and real estate and is now the owner and lead designer at House of Martin and an affiliate broker with Myers Cobb Realtors. After her career change, she still had a desire to reach and help the pediatric community across the Midsouth. She chose to donate a portion of all proceeds from home sales to the Forrest Spence Fund. Her passion for service is what makes this local realtor and designer a valuable asset to any homeowner.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Brittany Spence chats about the house that we bought in April 2023 where we will move our offices and have a support group/counseling center. We are so excited about this move!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Rebekah Byrd, chats with us about caring for her son, Joshua, who was diagnosed with occipital encephalocele. Rebekah discusses the care they continue to receive from Le Bonheur specialists.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guests, Jake and Kelcie Craft, chat with us about their 5-year-old twins. One of the twins, Henry, was diagnosed with Group B Strep meningitis and sepsis at 4 weeks old, which resulted in strokes, a diagnosis of Cortical Visual Impairment, and severe global developmental delays. The Crafts discuss the care and team that continue to support Henry.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.
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Our guest, Webb A. Smith, PhD, chats with us about his role as the Clinical Exercise Physiologist in the Heart Institute and Pediatric Obesity Program at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN. He discusses the multidisciplinary team of pediatricians, registered dietitians, fitness specialists and behavioral health coaches that help children and adolescents manage their weight.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Our guest, Erin Butterick, chats with us about her family’s journey with their daughter’s diagnosis of congenital hydrocephalus. She talks about her birth, ongoing care at Le Bonheur, and death and their connection with the Forrest Spence Fund.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Our guests, Morgan and Caleb Wright, chat with us about their journey with IVF treatment and their son, Slayton. They tell us about the ongoing medical care for Slayton for his cleft lip and palate.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Our guest, Lydia Walker, walks us through her role as the program manager for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Supporting and Healing Individuals from Trauma (SHIFT). She gives an overview up the holistic approach they use to break the cycle of violent trauma.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Our guest, Kelly Cates, shares her family’s story of enduring multiple surgeries and care for her daughter, Caroline. The care and support Caroline received inspired Kelly and her family to begin the Happy Heart Boxes program at Le Beonheur through the Forrest Spence Fund.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Our guest, Leigh-anna Liddell, shares her family’s story of miscarriage, their daughter’s illness and death, IVF, and adoption.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Our guest, Jennilyn Utkov, shares information about her career and current role at Methodist Le Bonheur. Listen in to her expertise!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Our guest, Landon Williams, shares his family’s story of childhood illness of two children born prematurely. He speaks about their strenuous journey they are enjoying one day at a time. Listen in to their story!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Our guest, Dana Defenbaugh, shares her family’s story of childhood illness that began with her daughter’s birth at 24 weeks. She speaks about the lessons they learned through Nowell’s health issues and death and how they are raising their second daughter, Minelle. Listen in to their story!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Sara Hanai is Director of the Family Resource Center at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and has such an impact on the families she serves. She shared about her motivation and passion for this work as well about the many resources that she can offer to families in need. Listen in to learn more!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!
Our guests Kaleb and Rebekah Page are sweet friends of the Fund and were kind enough to share their family’s journey with childhood illness that started when their oldest son was still in the womb. Their unique and trying experience has given them wisdom to share with others and we hope you’ll listen in!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Our guest Taylor Brown shared about her passion for Music Therapy and her love of using music to help her patients reach non-musical goals. Taylor was one of the first Music Therapist’s to be hired by Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and has big dreams for all the good Music Therapy can do. Listen in to learn all about Taylor and Music Therapy!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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We are celebrating the Forrest Spence Fund’s 15th anniversary this week by looking at how we started, how far we’ve come, and where we want to go in the future. Listen in as our Executive Director discusses the impact the Fund has had on many and how grateful we are for all of the people who have made this work possible.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Our guest Dr. Austin Dalgo came on the podcast today to deconstruct the typically negative connotations of palliative care and bioethics and fill us in on all the positive and beneficial work that people in these fields do. It was an enlightening conversation as well as an uplifting one as he shared what he does as a palliative care physician, why he is passionate about it, and how he got started in this work to begin with.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Laurel is a long time friend of the Forrest Spence Fund and Program Director of our Nashville branch. She came on today to share her family's story and the reason behind her passion for the Forrest Spence Fund.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Taylor was drawn to the Fund several years ago because of our mission to serve the non-medical needs of critically or chronically ill children and their families, including siblings. She herself is the sibling of a chronically ill sister and she was gracious enough to come on the podcast today to talk about how she experienced her sister’s diagnoses and chronic condition as a teenage sibling. To learn more about how to support siblings listen in!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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We know that when a child is sick it impacts the entire family and so today, we are focusing on how we can best support siblings in particular. Our guest Katy spent the last several years working to support siblings of sick children as a child life specialist and she has some great pieces of advice on how we as caregivers, parents, and friends can all support siblings in different ways.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Today Christine Perkinson, one of our faithful volunteers and fundraisers in Nashville came on to share all about our Nashville event. She also discusses how you can get involved through attending the event, volunteering at it, or even getting involved with the Fund in Nashville year round.
Click here to learn more about our Nashville Event https://forrestspencefund.org/events/friends-for-forrest-ch5hf
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Whitney is a dear friend of the Forrest Spence Fund and is such a likable, funny, and joy filled person! She came on today to share about her son Louie's heart defect and the journey her whole family has been on since his diagnosis. Despite the hard journey, Whitney and her family are such a testament of joy, love, and hope in the midst of hard things. Listen in and let us know what you think!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Dr. Sarita Wilson is a pediatric chaplain and counselor and she walked us through what it looks like to care for families spiritually when they are in need. This conversation was very enlightening and we’d love to know what you learned!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Did you know that Physical Therapists not only work with adults and children but also with infants in NICUs and PICUs? Today we got to interview one of our friends who is a PT in a NICU department and asked her all the questions about what she does, how it helps babies, and why she loves this job. Listen in on this fun conversation with our friend Stacey Miles!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Cindy is mother to Asher who experienced a brain injury at birth and has a lot of special needs as a result. Cindy shared with both honesty and vulnerability about their journey and although it has not been easy, it has been good. Listen in to hear their story!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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We’ve been planning this special 4th of July episode since before we even began the podcast and we are so excited for you to hear it. There are a lot of ways for kids to get hurt during the summer and especially around the 4th of July. However, our guest Dr. Regan shared so many ways that we can keep our kids safe without living in fear, or hindering their desire to have fun. Listen in and let us know what you think!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Dr. Torres is amazing at what he does and we were honored to have him on the podcast. He is a wonderful example of the amazing support there is for those who are facing childhood illness. Dr. Torres shares about the importance of making meaning of our pain and holding space for our grief. You will not want to miss this episode.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Stephen and Merri’s family have been a part of the Fund family for almost 13 years and we know you’ll be encouraged by their story.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Tim Flack is the Senior Attorney for Memphis CHiLD which is an alliance of multiple organizations who are committed to providing legal services to low-income pediatric patients and their families. Today he shares about his own family's journey with childhood illness and how it impacted his career.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Allison Smith acts as the Community Engagement Specialist in the Volunteer & Family Support Department at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. In this role she is able to get individuals, groups, and even organizations like ours involved at Le Bonheur. Volunteers are able to support the staff, patients, and families at Le Bonheur in numerous ways and Allison’s department coordinates it all! She discussed with us the many ways that she and her team have pivoted since Covid and discussed projects that anyone could take part in like sending a recorded message to patients, making snack bags, and so much more. Allison and her team are a vital part of the Le Bonheur staff and we were so honored to have her on the show this week!
To learn more about volunteering click here: https://www.lebonheur.org/ways-to-help/volunteer/volunteer-programs/index.dot
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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We have an extra special episode today with the President and Cofounder of the Forrest Spence Fund Dr. David Spence. Today David and Brittany share their story of losing their son Forrest and how this experience drove them to do something more. Because of their experience with Forrest, David and Brittany were forever changed, but in and through their grief, they were able to offer empathy, understanding, and hope to others experiencing the same thing. When Forrest died, the vision for the Forrest Spence Fund was born, and this conversation tells the story of the Spence’s journey with loss and renewed hope.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Angela Hamblen Kelly is the Executive Director at Baptist Centers for Good Grief. She and the other counselors there are committed to walking with children, teens, and adults, as they process and carry their grief due to the loss of a loved one. She had so much wisdom to share so listen now!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Emily Weller is an amazing PICU nurse at Lebonheur Children’s Hospital who graciously came on the podcast to talk about the vital role she plays in caring for some of the most critically or chronically ill children in the hospital. As a PICU nurse, Emily cares for the sickest of the sick and does so with empathy and understanding. Families with an ill child need support in many ways, and PICU nurses like Emily can be a great resource.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Bethany and Jonathan Chu are long time friends of the Fund and share about their twins’ journey with childhood illness. The audio quality is a little rough this episode due to it being a virtual interview but the conversation is full of wisdom and we can’t wait for you to hear it!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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As social workers in the NICU at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Jackie and Barbara are important advocates for children who are critically or chronically ill. They shared with us the many ways they can help in times of need and we are so grateful for them!
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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So often the fear of saying or doing the wrong thing can keep us from reaching out and showing love, but in this episode, we try to allay that fear by providing tried and true advice from families who have experience the illness or loss of a child but have also experienced love in so many different ways.
In honor of Valentine’s Day we wanted to release an extra special episode all about how we can all show love to families who are facing hard things, whether it be the illness or loss of a child or even the illness or loss of a parent or other loved one.
We have also compiled all of the advice we shared in this episode into a downloadable pdf for you to keep which you will find here: https://forrestspencefund.org/blog/how-to-show-love
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Whether this is your first time hearing about the Child Life discipline or maybe you are considering going into this field yourself, this episode is both informative and enlightening. Jessica Liles, Director of Child Life at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital was a joy to speak with and provided insight into the many facets of the Child Life discipline and how it serves families with a sick or injured child.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Dr. Cynthia Cross is a vital part of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and she came to talk with us about her role there and about RSV and how to handle it. As RSV season is upon us, we think this episode will be especially relevant to you.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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Amanda McCollum is our first podcast guest and we know you’ll love the conversation we had with her! In this episode, Amanda shares with Brittany the journey of having two critically ill children and how this journey has impacted her family forever.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
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In the Face of Illness is a brand new podcast committed to providing education and support on the topic of childhood illness and its widespread impact on both children and their support systems. Ultimately we want to offer hope in the face of illness.
Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Lydia Gettings.
Subscribe today to stay up to date.