Sharing our story helps us fulfill our mission to educate and inspire others who are accepting and overcoming life’s challenges. Below you will find our bio’s and photos. For all Media inquiries contact us.
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Combined Bio Debbie’s Bio Heather’s Bio Logan’s Bio Media Photos
Debbie Jorde Media Kit:
Combined Bios: Debbie Jorde, and Heather, and Logan Madsen
Debbie Jorde is a motivational speaker and author who shares her inspiring stories about accepting and overcoming life’s challenges at debbiejorde.com. Her first book, Eight Fingers and Eight Toes: Accepting Life’s Challenges, shows how a single mother dealt with the difficulties of having and raising two children with a rare and previously unknown syndrome. This condition is called Miller syndrome. It causes severe physical disabilities and hearing loss. Also, they have a rare chronic lung disease and autism.
Debbie, and her children, Heather and Logan Madsen, have been giving educational and inspirational speeches for over 20 years. They have appeared before university groups, medical students, CEOs of major institutions, and government agencies. The three of them have also spoken at community organizations, inspirational forums, and public libraries. They are published in several media outlets including in New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News, and Parents Magazine. The support group, The Foundation for Nager and Miller Syndrome, FNMS, publishes a newsletter in which Debbie, Heather, and Logan are published. Countless broadcast and online news outlets have also published their story.
Debbie writes and speaks about Miller syndrome, some of the challenges Heather and Logan face, and what motherhood is like having and raising children with multiple disabilities. She also explains the significance of the scientific research which led to the discovery of the genes that caused her children’s disabilities. The research resulted in her family to become the first worldwide to have their entire genome sequenced. Debbie also shares her personal story of accepting and overcoming challenges from experiencing bulimia, divorce, addiction, and multiple sclerosis (MS). Debbie recently retired after 40 years as a cosmetologist and 30 years as an aerobics instructor. She now devotes her time to writing at debbiejorde.com and inspirational speaking.
Heather Madsen
Heather Madsen is a writer and speaker with multiple disabilities. She presents how she accepts and overcomes her challenges of everyday life through writings of prose and poetry, as well as inspirational speaking. In her writings and speeches, Heather demonstrates a connectedness to her life’s experiences in a raw, sensory way that shows her unique perspective about beauty, love, and gratitude.
In addition to being born with the visible, rare genetic condition called Miller syndrome, which has resulted in over 20 surgeries, Heather has a rare genetic lung disease called primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and a hearing impairment.
Heather was a keynote speaker for Autism Speaks, where she shed light onto some of the complexities of autism. Recent speeches include topics such as seeing beyond appearances, accepting challenges, and insights into communication. Heather loves writing and has been published in several media outlets including the book, Eight Fingers and Eight Toes: Accepting Life’s Challenges. She is a regular guest writer at debbiejorde.com. Heather earned a B.S. degree in Psychology from the University of Utah.
Logan Madsen
Logan Madsen speaks about insights gained and lessons learned from accepting and overcoming challenges related to living with multiple disabilities. In addition to Miller syndrome, Logan deals with hearing impairment, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). He overcomes daily challenges with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety disorder, chronic pain, depression. Logan has had over 25 surgeries.
Logan addresses medical students at the University of Utah, giving them a learning experience in medicine and humanity. He also teaches an understanding of the importance of clear communication skills, gained from living with autism. Logan visits school classes to give students a personal experience with someone who looks different but is the same as they are inside. He also enjoys appearing on discussion panels, the most recent being at Art Access Gallery.
Logan is a self-taught artist with a degree in graphic design. He communicates his feelings and emotions through his paintbrush. In Logans most recent art show, Syndrome Psychology, he communicates through his paintings what life is like to be him, living with Miller syndrome and other disabilities.” Logan’s art is available at www.loganmadsenfineart.com.
We enjoy connecting and communicating with audiences through writing, art and speaking.
Debbie Jorde’s Bio.
Debbie Jorde is a motivational speaker and author who shares her inspiring stories about accepting and overcoming life’s challenges at debbiejorde.com. Her first book, Eight Fingers and Eight Toes: Accepting Life’s Challenges, shows how a single mother dealt with the difficulties of having and raising two children with a rare and previously unknown syndrome, Miller syndrome. This disease causes severe physical disabilities and hearing loss. In addition, they have chronic lung disease and autism.
In her writing and talks, Debbie shares her personal story of accepting and overcoming challenges from experiencing bulimia, divorce, addiction, and multiple sclerosis (MS). She enjoys discussing personal growth issues, including new insights gained while accepting and overcoming challenges from having MS.
Debbie and her family have appeared in New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Salt Lake Tribune, and Deseret News. Her story is published in Parents Magazine, the Foundation of Nager and Miller Syndrome Newsletter, as well as many broadcast and online news outlets. Debbie has spoken publicly for over 20 years, appearing before university groups and medical students. She speaks to CEOs of major institutions, government agencies, community organizations, inspirational forums, and public libraries.
Heather Madsen’s Bio.
Heather Madsen is a writer and speaker with multiple disabilities. She presents how she accepts and overcomes her challenges of everyday life through writings of prose and poetry, as well as inspirational speaking. In her writings and speeches, Heather demonstrates a connectedness to her life’s experiences in a raw, sensory way that shows her unique perspective about beauty, love, and gratitude.
In addition to being born with the visible, rare genetic condition called Miller syndrome, which has resulted in over 20 surgeries, Heather has a rare genetic lung disease called primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and a hearing impairment.
For 20 years, Heather has addressed medical students at major universities about the unique impacts her disabilities create in the medical profession. As a keynote speaker for Autism Speaks, she shed light onto some of the complexities of autism. Recent speeches include topics such as; seeing beyond appearances, accepting challenges, and insights into communication.
Heather has spoken before university groups, CEOs of major institutions, government agencies, community organizations, inspirational forums, and public libraries.
Heather loves writing and has been published in several media outlets. She is also published in the book, Eight Fingers and Eight Toes: Accepting Life’s Challenges. She is a regular guest writer at debbiejorde.com. Heather earned a B.S. degree in Psychology from the University of Utah. She enjoys connecting with an audience and looks forward to future opportunities to speak.
Logan Madsen’s Bio.
Logan Madsen speaks about insights gained and lessons learned from accepting and overcoming challenges related to living with multiple disabilities. He is a self-taught artist with a degree in graphic design. He communicates his feelings and emotions through his paintbrush. In his exhibit, Syndrome Psychology. Logan shows what life is like being him, living with Miller syndrome. He shows how he overcomes daily challenges. Logan’s art is available at www.loganmadsenfineart.com.
Along with having the visible, rare genetic condition Miller syndrome, Logan deals with hearing impairment, autism, and spectrum disorder (ASD). Logan overcomes daily challenges due to having obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety disorder, chronic pain, and depression. He has had over 25 surgeries.
Logan addresses medical students at the University of Utah, giving them a learning experience in medicine and humanity. He also teaches an understanding of the importance of clear communication skills, gained from living with autism. Logan visits school classes, giving students a personal experience with someone who looks different. He shows the young people he is the same inside as they are. He also enjoys appearing on discussion panels with the most recent being at Art Access Gallery.
Logan has spoken publicly for over 20 years, appearing before university groups and medical students. He has spoken for CEOs of major institutions and government institutions. He also speaks at community organizations, inspirational forums, and public libraries. Logan has been mentioned in several media outlets as well as his art. He is the subject of an upcoming documentary Logans Syndrome. Logan enjoys public speaking and looks forward to future opportunities.
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