“I never thought the ‘pesky problems’ would become an illness. I felt like I was going CRAZY. No one believed me! I can’t control my circumstances, but I CAN control how I handle them.”
‘THIS is my wake up call. I took charge of my health once and for all. NO MORE dismissive doctors being the drivers of my journey.’: Chronic illness warrior advocates for herself, ‘I can only control my attitude’
‘I don’t want to be a man. And I don’t want to be a woman.’ I wanted to be free of the binary. Everything CLICKED’: Non-binary person shares self-discovery journey, ‘I’m finally at home in my body’
“Some nights, I’d cry and stare at the ceiling. I didn’t like looking at my chest in the mirror. I hated leaving the house. I felt forced to wear a mask every day. I wanted a world that reflected me, a rainbow world with limitless colors.”
‘You’re extremely complicated.’ My doctor apologized profusely. After a decade of being told it was in my head, my pain was real.’: Woman battles chronic illnesses, ‘I’m still here and still fighting’
“I was constantly told I was a hypochondriac. ’Just drink more water.’ But the pain didn’t go away. I looked in the mirror and realized just how sick I was. I barely recognized myself.”
‘I looked back to see my friends. Then it happened. I was HIT. I couldn’t feel my body.’: Man with cystic fibrosis survives shooting, ‘I’ll fight as long as I’m breathing’
“While in the hospital, I was asked, ‘Are you a gang member?’ I was like, ‘OMG, no! I fought my whole life trying to stay alive!’ My heart was BROKEN.”
‘Your chance of getting pregnant is ZERO.’ I’ve always known my life would look different. Miracle upon miracle happened. There it was, a beating heart.’: Mom of 6 says ‘there’s beauty in the scars’
“Her mother’s uterus had ruptured. The paperwork said, ’Severe brain trauma.’ She was a promise fulfilled. 2 years later, I got a call about an abandoned baby boy. We never left his side. Saying ‘yes’ to hard things keeps the world moving.”
’I’m going to play outside!’ I called for him but he didn’t answer. I saw him by a tree. Then I saw the rope.’: Mom loses son to deadly internet trend, ‘No child is immune to this’
“It resembles suicide, but it’s not. His bullies DARED him to do this the day before he died.”
‘What do we do now?!’ We NEVER thought kids would be in the cards, but here we were with TWINS!’: LGBTQ couple inspired to become parents after mom’s passing, have twins through surrogacy
“I got a text on our honeymoon: ‘You should call Mom.’ My heart started to pound. She made us realize it was time to start a family. We never thought we’d see the day we’d want CHILDREN, let alone TWO!”
‘He tells his therapist, ‘You’re my best friend!’ I wish I could tell my past self, ‘Don’t worry. He’s going to be okay.’: Mom shares son’s journey with ADHD, autism, ‘He amazes us every day’
“It was as if his motor was running ALL the time. He ran when he should walk, climbed when he should sit, and jumped when he should stand.”
‘The house had no roof or door. He was lying on a towel. ‘You should adopt him!’ He was abandoned with his sisters.’: Couple adopts siblings after missionary work
“‘Can I hold him?’ I went in with an open heart, not knowing what to expect, and my heart came back full. I HAD to do something.”
‘It’ll be difficult for you to get pregnant.’ I gave him an out. ‘No way, let’s adopt!’ There was no doubt in my mind.’: Couple moves to Africa to adopt daughter, ‘We’re exactly where we need to be’
“We picked up the phone. ‘There’s a 17-month-old girl.’ We felt like we were racing time. Then COVID hit. We wouldn’t be able to take her home. ‘Why don’t WE go be a family with her?’ It seemed like a no-brainer.”
