“I was never invited to a friend’s house. At lunchtime, I couldn’t keep up. I was slapped because I pronounced words wrong. No one else shared my struggle. I found my community and never looked back.”
‘I don’t belong here.’ I had a hard time accepting myself. People were always trying to ‘fix’ me.’: Woman finds acceptance in Deaf community, ‘We have so much to offer’
‘He saw my hand. ‘I was born like this.’ He left and stopped talking to me. I knew then I didn’t want to hide it anymore.’: Woman shares limb difference acceptance journey, ‘I have the right to a normal life’
“People loved me, loved the photo of a girl smiling with all her heart, even though she’s missing a limb. They saw my strength.”
‘I want to be a part of the race.’ I’d go full throttle on the joystick. I felt free from the burdens of my disease.’: Man details journey with Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, ‘I’ll always be strong’
“It was an adrenaline rush. In those brief seconds, the freedom was priceless. The thin line of scar down most of my back is a reminder of how I’ll always stay strong.”
How I Healed My Toxic Relationship With My Body
“My life’s purpose is not to lose weight. It’s to live my life’s purpose.”
‘That’s enough to knock out a horse.’ I sobbed, begging the nurses for help. I can’t blame them. I was pregnant junkie.’: Woman recovers from drug addiction, ‘There’s always hope’
“Without the pills, I was sick. I couldn’t afford to be in withdrawals and take care of a baby. On my first Mother’s Day, I tried heroin. The emptiness I felt was unbearable. I had to fight for our lives.”
‘When she opened her eyes, I knew something wasn’t normal. ‘She doesn’t look like I thought she would.’ The room got quiet.’: Mom gives birth to baby with Down syndrome, ‘She’s a DREAM’
“The doctor stitching me up stopped and very calmly said, ‘She might have some markers for Down syndrome.’ The nurse panicked. In my mind, I kept saying, ‘It’s okay. It’s okay.’”
‘My doctors said, ‘This is enough.’ I knew they were right. My body was giving up on me. I was a prisoner of my own mind.’: Woman shares anorexia recovery journey, ‘I’m fighting for my future’
“My weight dropped dangerously low. Everything ached: my skin, my bones, my muscles. I destroyed myself. I’d never felt so weak, isolated, and depressed. I decided it was enough.”
‘Is there something we can do?’ We watched his heartbeat fade. We weren’t supposed to meet this way.’: Couple battling miscarriages welcome rainbow baby, ‘We’ll NEVER forget them’
“I told him, ‘I’m so sorry.’ It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. I hated that I failed him. I screamed at God, ‘Give me my baby back!’ This isn’t what I wanted for either of us.“
‘Don’t BUG me, I’m having the baby and it ends up where it ends up.’ Mom refused medical care. It was a waiting game.’: Parents foster-to-adopt siblings, ‘We can’t wait to see who comes next’
“‘It’s a girl! I don’t know where she is!’ I sent her a backpack full of food, toiletries, notes from our daughter, prenatal vitamins and clothes, yet she wouldn’t accept it.”
‘It’s rare and aggressive.’ I wanted to be aggressive right back. I wanted to survive.’: Breast cancer advocate celebrates 10 years cancer-free, ‘I’m right where I’m meant to be’
“They chipped off a piece of tumor. I thought, ‘I might be staring right at cancer.’ My world turned upside-down. Could this really be happening? I felt the urge to do something.”