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Megan C.

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.

Megan knows the importance of unity and reassurance along this unpredictable journey, reminding families that a strong community is always there to provide guidance and solidarity when needed.

Allison M.

Allison is the mom of her 6-year-old son, Rob. She is a part-time bartender and has a passion for connecting with people and providing assistance along the HIE journey.

She is driven by the desire to pay forward the support she received during her own journey and the commitment she feels to connecting families to a sense of hope and support.

Meagan G.

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.

Just as she is passionate about supporting her patients and their families in her practice, she is also dedicated to connecting with other families and helping them navigate their own HIE journeys.

Suzi B.

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. Her passions lie in exploring the many layers of this life through its love, grief, joy, and complexity, as well as supporting others in doing the same.

Suzi understands how having support on the journey right from the outset can make an immense difference in mitigating feelings of isolation.

Francesca P.

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.

She knows how much the HIE community supported her during those early days, and she’s now eager to share her knowledge and give back to others who can benefit from that guidance and connection.

Ashley R.

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.

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

Amanda H.

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.

She knows hope is such an important part of the journey and that having someone who truly understands and relates to the ups and downs can make all the difference.

Nicole C.

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.

She aims to support, reassure, and deepen family members’ understanding as they embark on the process of adjusting to their transformed lives.

Kat S.

After her son’s HIE diagnosis, Kat was worried about another hypoxic event occurring with her second pregnancy. With help from the Pregnancy after HIE group and her family, she found comfort and was able to advocate for herself, her unborn child, and her son all at the same time.

To Kat, grief and growth are not linear, and she aims to help others navigate the journey’s highs and lows with unwavering empathy and support.

Kimberly T.

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.

Romm N.

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 guidance from professionals, they have struck a life that has had its challenges but is still very fulfilling.

He is inspired by the hope that he and his family can serve as a positive influence on others’ well-being on this journey.

Brandon C.

Brandon’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 to spend time with friends and family.

I look forward to sharing experiences, offering support, and brightening the path for others.

Stephanie L.

Stephanie is a technical training specialist for a large healthcare organization in the Midwest.  She and her husband adopted their son, Jake, through foster care. He was placed with her family at 5 weeks old and has severe HIE as a result of a birth injury.

Stephanie hopes that, as a peer mentor, she can help others navigate HIE, no matter where their journeys will take them.

Carol S.

Carol is married and has two adult children and a wonderful daughter-in-law. She is also a media specialist at an elementary school. Carol has a precious 9-year-old granddaughter named Isabel Grace, who is diagnosed with HIE, whom she says is the love of all of their lives.

She believes in lending a kind word and a listening ear to others, knowing that hope has the power to mend even the deepest wounds.

Crystal F.

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.

She wants families to know that even when they don’t feel like hope exists, it does. Talking with someone who understands the start of this journey and beyond is so validating; it can allow you to finally feel seen and heard.

Lynn G.

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!

Lynn says that Hope for HIE has taught her everything she knows on this journey, and she wants to make sure that other parents know they are not alone!

Meagan C.

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 wants 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.

Kara F.

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.

She believes that having someone who truly understands the challenges and emotions we face is invaluable and wants to give families guidance, support, and reassurance to make the journey feel less overwhelming.