In the Face of Illness

Our guests, Monika and Chima Onwuka share their journey on their twin babies being in the NICU which led them to founding Grind City Cares. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Maddie Haddow chats with us about her role as the Chattanooga Director for the Forrest Spence Fund!Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

In this episode, we’re joined by Catherine Hatten, a college intern whose experience with the Forrest Spence Fund offers a firsthand look at the impact of serving families in our community. From supporting patients at Le Bonheur to studying health equity in Memphis, Catherine shares how hands-on work shaped her perspective and deepened her passion for public health. This conversation is a reminder that real change begins with showing up and that even small moments can make a lasting difference. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Join us as Alexis Daniel shares an inside look at the new and returning 2026 Forrest Spence Fund events across Memphis, Nashville, and Chattanooga. From the introduction of our new Couples Pickleball Tournament to the exciting launch of FSF x Bourbon and Blues in partnership with Northwestern Mutual, this episode highlights how our events continue to bring community and hope to families facing childhood illness. Tune in to hear what’s ahead and how you can be part of it.Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

In honor of our 100th episode, we’re sharing something deeply personal — Letters to Families. This episode features words from caregivers and members of our staff, written for those caring for or living with a chronic illness.These letters are reminders of hope, understanding, and community — shared in celebration of 100 episodes of stories, connection, and support.Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Brittany Barnett chats with us about the role of patient- and family-centered care at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and how caregiver voices help shape the patient experience.As the Manager of Patient Family-Centered Care (PFCC), Brittany partners with caregivers, former patients, and staff to ensure families are meaningfully represented throughout the institution. She shares how programs like caregiver advisory councils, mentor programs, and steering councils create connection, support, and lasting impact for families during their St. Jude journey.Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

We’re closing out the year with highlights from Touch a Truck, a behind-the-scenes look at our 15th Annual Christmas Toy Store, and why your end-of-year support means so much to the families we serve. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Alexis Daniel chats about our upcoming events this fall! Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Michelle Harris, chats with us about her role as the Clinical Director for the Cardiac Care Unit and CVICU at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Join Brittany Spence as she shares the story behind Forest of Hope, a children’s book born from Forrest’s legacy and the mission of the Forrest Spence Fund to bring comfort, healing, and hope to families in need.Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Jessica Fleener, chats with us about her role as the Clinical Director for the Neuroscience and Infant Toddler units at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Pesi Katz chats about our upcoming 5K on August 23rd. Sign up by going to https://forrestspence5k.raceroster.com. We hope to see you there for a fun day! Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

In this episode, Cindy Lytle shares the story of her son, Owen, who passed away shortly after birth. After being sent to the hospital earlier than expected in her pregnancy, Cindy reflects on Owen’s birth and the challenges her family faced in those moments. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guests, Natalie and Jim Meeks share why they chose to partner with the Forrest Spence Fund. He reflects on the values that drew him to the mission and why supporting families facing medical crises continues to be a priority for him and his team.Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Alexis Connor, chats with us about our Counseling and Community Center and the resources available. We host support groups, have a variety of upcoming events for Mental Health Awareness Month, and the space is also available for members of the community to use.Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Callie Jaggers, shares about her role as a Child Life Specialist at Le Bonheur. During her time, she helps children and their families feel comfortable and supported. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Erin Lasley chats with us about her role as the Coordinator of the Family Resource Center and All Kids Academy at Le Bonheur. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Alexis Grace Connor, chats with us about her role as the Event and Center Coordinator at the Forrest Spence Fund. She shares some exciting new and returning events we have coming up and plans for the future! Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Pesi and Alexis chat with us about our upcoming Spring for Forrest Cocktail Party and Auction event on April 11. We will have live music, delicious food, a live and silent auction, and more! You can purchase your tickets through our website at the cost of $100 per person. We hope to see you there!Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guests, Katy and Sarah chat with us about their positions at Le Bonhuer. Katy leads the Extracorporeal Therapies Service Line and Sarah is the ECTS Coordinator. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Rachel Wells chats with us about her role as the Director of Social Work at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Pesi Katz chats with us about our upcoming No Show Ball on Saturday, February 8th in Memphis, TN. The No Show Ball comes to you in the form of a dinner in a cooler bag dropped off at your door. Purchase your cooler today through the link on our website!Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Brooke Denson, shares the story of her daughter Audrey, who was admitted to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital at 5 weeks old, and went to be with Jesus on Good Friday of 2023. Brooke’s time with Audrey was short, but she is forever grateful to have loved and been loved by Audrey. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Joni Rose chats with us about her role in supporting mothers who are providing breastmilk to their preterm or medically fragile infants at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Brittany reflects on 2024 and the incredible milestones we have accomplished this year. We are so thankful for our donors, volunteers, staff, board members, and each of you! Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guests, Heather Burgess and Kelley Smith chat with us about their roles working at Regional One NICU. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Abby Schroeppel chats with us about her son Jackson who passed away in 2016 and how her family felt blessed to honor his memory by donating books to children’s hospitals. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Jan Hill, assistant professor of Health Administration and Public Health at Baptist Health Sciences University, discusses social determinants of health and the partnership with Forrest Spence Fund by providing interns.Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Mandy Parker chats with us about her and her husband’s adoption story of their son Caleb, who has special needs. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Brittany Spence chats with us about the past FSF events and the many upcoming events we have! For a list of our upcoming events, please go to forrestspencefund.org/events. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Vance Gieselmann shares her story of being diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases - Grave's Disease and Addison's Disease. In addition to being diagnosed with her own illnesses, Vance had four close relatives who passed away from various illnesses within a relatively short amount of time. Vance shares the hard and powerful lessons she has learned during this journey. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Jenny Campbell shares the story of her son Jack, who passed away in 2014 after a lengthy illness and a three month hospital stay at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Jane Thompson chats with us about her role as the program manager for Le Bonheur's Maternal Fetal Center. She and her team coordinate care for expectant mothers whose babies are diagnosed in utero with a congenital anomaly. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Charol Hewitt, chats with us about her role as the Community Home Visitation Program Educator at Le Bonheur Community Outreach. Charol and her team offer in-home services and education to the communities they serve. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guests, Ellis and Renner Lasley share their personal journey of being a sibling to a critically and chronically ill sister. Ellis and Renner are the siblings to Elizabeth (Zib), who was diagnosed in utero with a giant Omphalocele. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Erin Lasley shares with us the story of her daughter Elizabeth, fondly known as Zib, who was diagnosed in utero with a giant Omphalocele. Zib is now a typically functioning preschooler thanks to her incredible medical team at Le Bonheur. While Elizabeth's Le Bonheur journey is done, Erin has begun a new career serving as the Coordinator of the Family Resource Center as well as the Coordinator of All Kids Academy at Le Bonheur.Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guests, Vance and Ivy chat with us about why they chose to intern at the Forrest Spence Fund, what the internship is like, and how it has helped prepare them for their future jobs. If you are interested in applying to be an intern with us, email your resume to Brittany. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guests, Julianne Scholes and Kate Baker are both Child Life Specialists at Spence and Becky Wilson Baptist Children’s Hospital. They chat with us about their roles as CCLS’ and how they help children going through experiences in the hospital.Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Jessica Ganey, chats with us about her role as the Special Events Manager here at the Forrest Spence Fund. She shares the work she is doing, some exciting plans for the future, and the work she does outside of the Forrest Spence Fund. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Reeca Cole, shares with us the story of her son Truett. Reeca went into preterm labor with Truett, who spent 9 days in the NICU. Shortly after returning home, he became very sick and was later diagnosed with Bronchial Malacia. Reeca discusses the care Truett has, how he is doing now, and how this has affected their family.Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Remera Cage Williams chats with us about her role as the program manager for Methodist Le Bonheur Community Outreach (MLCO)’s Community HIV Network. She explains the services they provide such as HIV testing, education, and prevention services for individuals throughout the community. On May 14th, Methodist Le Bonheur will offer free HIV testing at 600 Jefferson Ave. Follow Community HIV Network on social media through the links below: https://www.tiktok.com/@chipmemphishttps://www.facebook.com/@CHIPMemphisOur show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Jennifer Taylor chats with us about her role as the manager of Safe Kids Mid-South and injury prevention at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Please visit the link below for more information on Safe Kids and safety and how Jennifer Taylor uses this information with families she works with. https://www.lebonheur.org/our-services/community-health/community-programs/safe-kids-mid-south/Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Pesi Katz and Jessica chat with us about our upcoming Spring for Forrest Cocktail Party and Auction event on May 10th. We will have live music, delicious food, a live and silent auction, and more! You can purchase your tickets through our website at the cost of $100 per person. We hope to see you there! Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Jack Chance chats with us about his experience of being a patient at Le Bonheur due to a blood clot in September of 2023. He shares what that was like for him and how he is doing now. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guests, Jessica and Jonathan Pounders share the story of their daughter Mollie. Before Mollie was born, Jessica found out that Mollie had Gastroschisis. They chat with us about their stay at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and how Mollie is doing now. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Brittany Chance, shares with us the experience her son, Jack had this past September. Six months ago their family ENT found a massive blood clot from an infection that caused a blockage. Jack went blind from the increased intracranial pressure and had a series of emergency surgeries to clear the infection. He was treated for meningitis and eventually had brain surgery to place a VP shunt. Jack is a walking miracle today! He is currently on blood thinners and will be a forever Le Bonheur patient. The Chance family will always be grateful for Le Bonheur and has plans to get involved and give back to this amazing hospital!Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Ansley Prosser chats with us about her sister Carly who was diagnosed with Epilepsy when Ansley was eight years old. This is what took her family to LeBonheur Children’s hospital and from there she found her love for nursing.  She was able to meet so many amazing doctors and nurses that she looks up to today. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Holly Carpenter shares with us the story of her son Jameson and his stay in the NICU. Jameson spent 31 days in the Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown NICU primarily for developmental milestones like learning to suck, swallow, and breathe. Despite challenges with his lung development and mild jaundice, his stay was mostly about growth and readiness to come home. Inspired by her journey, she began volunteering with the Forrest Spence Fund and in October of 2023 she became the Forrest Spence Fund Nashville Director. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Brittany Spence chats with us about our upcoming No Show Ball on Saturday, February 10th in Memphis, TN. The No Show Ball comes to you in the form of a dinner in a cooler bag dropped off at your door. Purchase your cooler today through the link on our website! Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

Our guest, Summer Currey shares with us the story of her son Avery who was diagnosed with Leukemia almost 2 years ago. During her free time, she enjoys spending time and exploring new places with her children. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!