Peer Support Mentors

Allison M.

I want to help families as others have helped me. Families need to know they are supported and not alone in this crazy, unexpected journey.

Allison is mom to Rob, who is six years old. She is a part-time bartender and is driven by the desire to pay forward the support she received during her own journey.

Meagan G.

Just as I am passionate about supporting my patients and their families in my practice, I am dedicated to connecting with other families navigating their own HIE journeys.

Meagan is a physical therapist and mom of two children, a 5-year-old with HIE and a 3-year-old. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her family, knitting, and reading.

Suzi B.

For many of us, the loneliness and despair feel all-consuming at the start of the HIE journey. Having someone who gets it from the very beginning makes a difference.

Suzi is a mother of two beautiful boys, a seeker of wisdom through words, and a woman on a journey of personal evolution and healing. She is passionate about exploring the many layers of this life through its love, grief, joy, and complexity.

Amanda H.

Hope is such an important part of the journey, and having someone who truly understands and relates to the ups and downs can make all the difference.

Having experienced the challenges of HIE firsthand, Amanda is passionate about using what she has learned to help others. She understands the complex emotions that come with this journey and is eager to share her knowledge and learn from others.

Ashley R.

Being able to give back during what can feel like the hardest time in someone’s life brings me immense fulfillment and has only strengthened my sense of purpose.

 Ashley is a mom of four children, including 8-year-old twin boys, one of whom experienced an HIE event during childbirth. Over the past eight years in the HIE community, she has gained a deep understanding of HIE and its many outcomes.

Francesca P.

The HIE community provided invaluable support during those early days; now, I’m eager to share my knowledge and give back to this wonderful community.

Francesca is a full-time working mom to a 6-year-old boy with multiple diagnoses, including HIE. Her HIE journey began while living in the UK, but her family has since relocated to the USA.

Nicole C.

As a mentor, I want to support, reassure, and deepen family members’ understanding as they embark on the process of adjusting to their transformed lives.

Nicole is dedicated to offering empathetic support and guidance to the HIE community in a way that emphasizes advocacy and inclusion. When she’s not drinking coffee, her hobbies include photography and reading.

Megan C.

Unity and reassurance are so important along this unpredictable journey, and I want to remind families that a strong community is here to provide guidance and solidarity when needed.

Megan is a union activist dedicated to raising awareness and actively dismantling systemic racism in the workplace and broader community. She is also a children’s book author and is currently writing a book for her daughter that explores the experiences of being a Black child with cerebral palsy.

Kate L.

Given the impact peer support had on my journey, I now volunteer with my local organization and am truly grateful to join Hope for HIE and give back to an organization that was crucial to my journey.

Kate’s daughter Mabel was born with HIE seven years ago and passed away at 7 months old. She discovered Hope for HIE during her time in the NICU and connected with others through the Facebook group, where she made lasting friendships that continue to be a source of support to this day. The peer support she received from the group, along with a local infant loss organization, played a crucial role in helping her navigate that time and rebuild her life.

Walker F.

Through mentorship, I hope to pay forward the life-affirming kindness I received from others after my daughter’s passing, offering support to those walking a similar path.

Walker’s daughter passed from HIE in 2022, a few days after her birth. As a nonprofit leader, he has worked closely with many families recovering from loss. It was a new experience finding himself rebuilding in the wake of his own grief, but now, he hopes to support others on their journeys through loss and healing.

Kimberly T.

I am grateful for the community that supported me during my most difficult times and am honored to have the opportunity to give back.

Kimberly joined the Hope community in 2013, shortly after the birth of her daughter, Natalie. Following her passing, Kimberly found ongoing support and connection within Hope’s Loss Support for Parents group. Inspired by her personal experience, she is pursuing an MSW with a specialization in trauma, focusing on grief and bereavement.

Jill B.

Connecting with other grieving families through Hope for HIE was a lifeline when my husband and I could have felt so alone. It’s an honor to offer the same support we needed to other families.

Jill found the Hope for HIE community in the months following the loss of her daughter, Gianna, at 8 days old in 2022. As time passed, she felt a shift from wanting support for herself to wanting to support new families in the group. Outside of her involvement with Hope for HIE, Jill is a psychologist specializing in neurodevelopmental disabilities, a career she has dedicated to her daughter.

Romm N.

 If I can make even the smallest difference to someone’s well-being and journey, I’ll be content with that.

Romm and his family have been part of the HIE community since their son Bodhi’s traumatic birth in 2015. With the support of friends and family in their “village,” connections they’ve made in the HIE community, and professional guidance, they have struck a life that has had challenges but is still very fulfilling.

Brandon C.

I look forward to sharing experiences, offering support, and brightening the path for others. Together, we can find strength and hope.

Brandon and his wife’s son was born in 2019, four months before his due date, and within a couple of weeks, fell ill with a severe infection that caused HIE. Despite significant disabilities, he is joyful and sweet and brightens their lives. They love to be outside together and spend time with friends and family.

Lynn G.

There is hope. We can find joy and support during this journey. No matter what you’re going through—the good or the bad—you have people here to listen.

Lynn has been a member of the Hope for HIE community for over nine years. She is the Mom to Kyla, her silly and very sassy daughter with cerebral palsy and CVI, and she thinks she is the funniest person around!

Crystal F.

Even when you don’t feel like hope exists, it does. Talking with someone who understands the start of this journey and beyond is so validating; you finally feel seen and heard.

Crystal is a full-time working mom of four, including her HIE child, Colbey, who is 11. With over ten years in the HIE community, she knows the importance of having someone who truly understands and is eager to give back.

Kara F.

Having someone who truly understands the challenges and emotions we face is invaluable. I want to be that for someone, to give them guidance, support, and reassurance and make the journey feel less overwhelming. 

Kara has been on the HIE journey for almost 14 years. She loves to connect with nature through hiking and studying herbal medicine. She travels the world with her family and loves learning other languages and cultures with her ESL students.

Meagan C.

I want others to know that even if things didn’t go as planned and it feels like everything has fallen apart, the pieces are still here, and with hope, they can put them back together in a new way.

Meagan is the mother of Estella, 11, who sustained an HIE injury at birth. A licensed aesthetician and nursing student, Meagan has been an active member of the Hope for HIE community for over ten years. She is also available as a 1:1 mentor.