Hear Us Speak

We have had a handful of presentations by people coming to tell their stories and yours was the best experience for us as caseworkers. I think that it takes an immense amount of personal character and strength to be able to tell your life story down to your thoughts and personal needs in front of 100 strangers. Your perspectives were invaluable to me in my journey as a caseworker. In the hour you spoke, realized why I wanted to be a caseworker in the first place.

WOW!! All I can say is WOW! What you said, how you presented yourself, how you shared your thoughts, your joys, your tears, your knowledge and your love truly hit the congregation right where they live – in their hearts. You received more loving and positive comments than anyone has for a long, long time. All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you. The love you have for each other is palpable to those of us that witness. My eyes are welling with sweet tears of profound gratitude and love.

A wonderful part of our caregivers conference. Your talk was beautiful, thoughtful, moving, heartfelt and relevant. You connected with the audience and created a memorable experience for them. We are so proud and so lucky to have had you as a part of our conference! You have outdone yourself. Caregivers need to hear what you have to say. Your voice makes a difference. We have received a lot of feedback about the conference and your name keeps coming up as a favorite speaker. Thank you so much!

Debbie, Heather, and Logan spoke at our general staff meeting. We were inspired hearing their stories and successes. It was enlightening for us to hear about how their interactions with local agencies and resources impacted their lives. We felt inspired to do a better job in interacting with our customers. I heard several times how much this talk meant to each of the people in attendance that day. This presentation should not be missed by any service provider, advocate or community resource.

For anyone wishing to expand their horizons while dealing with the slightest disability. This talk expresses not only both sides of this incredible journey but the depth of courage taken by a determined mother of such children who astoundingly achieve much beyond society’s expectations of disability. This presentation is a great tool to open the door to understanding those clients and patients as just people like the status quo who are trying hard to achieve their personal goals.

Magnificent job at the Kick Off. You were amazing! You were well organized and to the point. You expressed your experiences and feelings poignantly. Countless people tell me how much they enjoyed listening. You had a huge impact on the families. It was helpful when you talked about your sensory issues and how they makes you feel. My son has sensory issues but his lack of communication skills prevents him from telling me what he is going though. You allowed me insight into what he is experiencing.

The strength, optimism, and self-awareness that Debbie and her children possess in the face of such difficult obstacles is truly uplifting. They told their stories with courage and honesty. They spoke candidly about events without embellishment or censoring. We felt inspired to do a better job in interacting with the people we meet and our employees. Their positive outlooks uplifted us. I have recommended these speakers and Debbie’s book to my associates, neighbors, relatives, and friends.

It’s hard to explain what Debbie, Heather, and Logan’s stories have done for me. I cannot even find the words. They are all beautiful and exceptional people. To hear what they’ve all been through as a family, and even on a day-to-day basis is extraordinary! I just want them to know, that they have fulfilled the purpose of sharing their story. They have ALL changed my life forever. Debbie, Heather, and Logan thank you for saying what I needed to hear- what the world needs to hear.

This was the most impacting and inspiring clinical correlation I have ever attended. I enjoyed listening to the emotional experiences of the presenters since it really emphasized the human aspect of diseases. It was great seeing and hearing individual stories and perspectives to bring material we are studying to real life. I am grateful they came and HIGHLY recommend bringing them back if at all possible. A great reminder of why we went into medicine. This is one that I will not forget!

Heather speaks with wisdom, knowledge, and awareness! She is poised, articulate and open about her feelings and experiences. I learned more about autism tonight than I have ever known before. The audience gained many insights and personal examples about what it means to be autistic. People kept nodding their heads in agreement with all that Heather was saying. Her words flowed. She was brilliant and beautiful! It was the most concise and poignant presentation about autism I have ever heard.

Your eloquent remarks left an indelible impression on all who heard and saw you. I hope, and truly believe, that our students will be better and more compassionate physicians after having learned firsthand from you about your interactions with obstetricians, pediatricians, nurses, geneticists, plastic surgeons and others involved in your, Heather’s and Logan’s care. Thank you for giving our cornerstone presentation at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and for putting a human face on cells and molecules.

This was an absolutely phenomenal presentation. I thoroughly enjoyed these talks. The speakers provided information about what they go through and how they overcome challenges. Their talks were very captivating. I wish everyone could hear their story. I am not sure if I remember a time when our group was as attentive as they were during this hour. It is so pivotal to be exposed to such a heartfelt story. A great insight into how we should be aware of the emotions of the people we work with.

Debbie, Heather, and Logan’s talks were touching and thought-provoking. Just listening to this amazing family was wonderful. After hearing this talk, I can never say my life is unfair again, even more important, I learned the power of accepting life’s challenges and focusing on what is good, and what I have the power to do. It was motivating to see how successfully they’ve dealt with the hardships they’ve faced. I am a better person after hearing their stories and insights.

This was not only interesting and informative from a scientific perspective, but this presentation was extremely beneficial in providing a unique, much-needed perspective about medical genetics. It was an important reminder, about the humanity of medicine. It is often too easy to become callous scientists, just looking at a disease and not seeing the person with the disease. This lecture was a phenomenal way to help us all remember the type of doctors we would like to be.

This family’s story show’s that life is not always what we expect it will be but we do have the ability to deal with the difficulties it presents and they prove that every single day. Having a daughter myself, I too recited the “ten fingers and ten toes” prayer. Never before did I hold back tears like I was when Debbie was talking about not wanting the baby. She was very brave and really put herself on the line, exposing emotions that most of us would rather lock into a dark corner.

Their candidness and willingness to share their experience and lives with us was really touching. They provided deep perspective on how much impact caregivers can have. They spoke with knowledge and understanding. Courage comes in many forms: physical, psychological, spiritual. Sharing your story has not only advanced medical knowledge, but has and will inspire many people. I plan to add your book to my “summer reading list” for caregiving students. Thank you for your generosity!