Caregivers SHARE, a St. Jude Podcast

Caregivers SHARE, a St. Jude Podcast

A child’s diagnosis of a serious illness can be difficult. Families, guardians, and loved ones feel a range of emotions and need support related to their child’s treatment. Caregivers SHARE, a St. Jude podcast, is a place for family caregivers to hear advice, reflection, encouragement, and real stories from families and hospital staff. SHARE stands for Support, Honor, Advise, Reflect, and Encourage. The podcast is brought to you by Patient Family-Centered Care and Psychosocial Services at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Episodes

November 20, 2024 22 mins
In this episode, Brenda Stephens and Erica Sirrine talk about loss and keeping memories alive. Brenda’s daughter Emily died of cancer at age 23. Brenda discusses navigating the first year after Emily died, the ways her family keeps Emily’s light alive, and being mentored by other parents through the journey. Brenda and Erica emphasize the importance of allowing oneself to feel, creating new traditions, and continuing to tell Emily’...
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In this episode, Carol Bailey and her daughter Katie talk with child life specialist Heather Haluska about going through cancer during the teen years. Katie was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia when she was a senior in high school. She continues to deal with chronic health conditions related to her diagnosis. Katie shares how she handled missing out on teenage experiences, used creativity as an outlet, and learned to advocate ...
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Elnora Lee describes her 17-year journey with 3 school-age daughters navigating cancer. She talks with Randy Thompson of the St. Jude Imagine Academy about learning challenges, relationship challenges, and the importance of having compassion and empathy. She offers tips for helping a school-age child retain multiplication facts and turning trips to the store into learning experiences. Elnora emphasizes the importance of setting the...
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In this episode, Ela Molina talks with Jen Harman about Ela’s daughter’s experience with cancer. Isa Molina was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at 22 months old. Jen was Ela and Isa’s psychologist at St. Jude while Isa went through treatment. Ela and Jen reflect on that time. They offer tips for using play, setting limits, keeping a routine, and using positive reinforcement with young children. Ela highlights how helpfu...
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September 25, 2024 26 mins
ShaQuitta McGhee and Jessica Watts reflect on how they supported their other children while their child was sick. ShaQuitta discusses how she relied on family and a counselor. She admits she didn’t always get it right when parenting her daughter, Reign Bella, and her sons at the same time. Jessica sheds light on how she found ways to include her younger son in family activities when he couldn’t be involved in her older son Charlie’...
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September 11, 2024 21 mins
In this episode, Wes and Kady Shell talk about how they kept their marriage strong and remained close while their daughter Hattie went through an extended ICU stay. Wes and Cady discuss how they learned to let go, meet their spouse where they were, and check in often. One is an early riser and one of them is a night owl. This fact that used to irritate them became key in taking shifts in the ICU. Their differences became their stre...
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September 5, 2024 39 secs
We are happy to present season 2 of Caregivers SHARE, a St. Jude podcast. Hear from families and health care providers as they share personal stories and offer support to those caring for a child with a serious illness.

At St. Jude, we understand the challenges that families face during this difficult time, and we are committed to providing resources to help. Each episode of the podcast focuses on S.H.A.R.E—Supporting, Honoring, Adv...
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St. Jude Director of Spiritual Care Services Mark Brown talks with caregiver Nikole Sullivan. Listeners will learn how her family managed the holidays with a child in the hospital, created new memories, and embraced simple joys together. Nikole shares how she let go of the pressure that comes with the holiday season and navigated being apart from family members.

A special thank you to Mark Brown and our parent caregiver Nikole Sulli...
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The transition off therapy can be socially and psychosocially challenging. Caregivers can have feelings of release and relief, but they can also be confused and overwhelmed. How can you take care of your mental health while ensuring the health of your child? LaChaka and Darick explore returning to work, managing finances, asking for help, and navigating strained relationships. They emphasize the importance of giving back by helping...
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October 4, 2023 27 mins
When your child transitions off therapy, how do you know when to send them back to school? Emily, Darick, and LaChaka discuss how to confidently make that decision, as well as what accommodations might be needed, such as IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) or 504 plans. They speak about the importance of communicating openly with the care team, child life specialists, social workers, and school administrators. A special thank you...
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September 20, 2023 26 mins
The transition from a hospital care team to a local care team comes with its challenges. LaChaka and Darick map out the medical journey each of them took with their children’s treatment. LaChaka outlines how she kept her home pediatrician in the loop so that the transition went smoothly. Both caregivers offer tips on organizing medical records and teaching a child to take an active role in their own care. A special thank you to Emi...
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When it’s time to transition off therapy, what happens next? While it might seem like an exciting time, the transition off therapy can come with anxiety and fear. Parents LaChaka and Darick share how they handled the emotional aspect of leaving the safety net of the hospital. They talk about the time required to process the experience and how they’ve been humbled by it. LaChaka and Darick reflect on hard emotions like survivor’s gu...
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August 24, 2023 27 mins
Paula and Jason explore ways to find support during treatment, whether from the medical team, social workers, or others. They share the importance of advocating for yourself and your child and how important it is to speak up when you know something is not right. Jason and Paula explain how they responded to unsolicited medical advice during treatment, and when to ask for help from someone outside the care team. They point to self-c...
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How does a caregiver handle day-to-day logistics at home when their child has a serious illness? Paula and Jason share how they were able to ask for much-needed help from friends and loved ones, even with mundane tasks like yard work and oil changes. They discovered that sometimes coping means focusing on a calendar or a to-do list. They also learned that it’s OK to realize you can’t do it all on your own. Listeners learn tips for ...
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How does it feel to first receive a child’s diagnosis of a serious illness? Paula shares her initial feelings of having the rug pulled out from under her. Jason reflects on feeling out of control and exhausted. In the fog of a new diagnosis, how do you keep a clear head to make key health decisions for your child? Jason and Paula discuss the small losses and changes along the way. They also discuss the moment of realization that no...
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A child’s diagnosis of a serious illness can be difficult. Families, guardians, and loved ones feel a range of emotions and need support related to their child’s treatment. Caregivers SHARE, a St. Jude podcast, is a place for family caregivers to hear advice, reflection, encouragement, and real stories from families and hospital staff. SHARE stands for Support, Honor, Advise, Reflect, and Encourage. The podcast is brought to you by...
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