Show Notes
Jessica Patay is the founder and executive director of We Are Brave Together (WABT), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports caregiving moms with children of all types of disabilities and neuro-diverse diagnoses. In addition, she is a sought-out speaker, podcast guest, writer and retreat coordinator, fundraiser, mother of three, social influencer, and a champion of self-care practices and their positive effect on motherhood. She is a contributing author to the forthcoming title, Becoming Brave Together: Heroic and Extraordinary Caregiving Stories from Mothers Hidden in Plain Sight. The book is set to release on May 1, 2024. Jessica excels at creating and supporting communities of caregiving moms and she is a visionary for the disability community world-wide.
Jessica's mission to combat the isolation and burnout that these moms and their families face by creating supportive, resourceful and empowering communities and meaningful connections. Her vision is that every family in the disability community is strengthened, equipped, and inspired for their unique journey. This vision has fueled WABT's growth in 6 years into an international community of over 2200 moms, representing all 50 states and 24 countries. Jessica has helped launch dozens of support groups throughout the U.S., New Zealand, and Australia. In order to extend her outreach, Jessica hosts a podcast, "Brave Together with Jessica Patay," which offers a library of inspirational stories and resources for the disability community.
To stay connected with Jess, head to www.jessplusthemess.com. If you are interested in being a guest please reach out to [email protected]. We'd love to hear what you think, so please rate and review! This episode is sponsored by True North Disability Planning, to make disability planning accessible to all. To find out more, visit www.truenorthdisabilityplanning.com.
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He said, "You don't have to be a hero... you don't have to save the baby's life." Jillian Benfield is a former journalist and news anchor. She holds a broadcast journalism degree from the University of Georgia. As a freelance writer, her essays about living an unexpected life have appeared on sites such as TODAY, Good Morning America, Yahoo! News, and ABC News. Jillian regularly advocates for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in her writings, in her community, and as a part of the National Down Syndrome Congress’s National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition. Jillian and her husband, Andy, and their three children make their home on Florida’s Space Coast. Learn more atjillianbenfield.com. To stay connected with Jess, head to www.jessplusthemess.com. If you are interested in being a guest please reach out to [email protected]. I'd love to hear what you think, so please rate and review!
Jason Hague is an associate pastor of Christ’s Center Church, a mid-size church in Oregon, one of the least churched areas in the United States. He is a husband and a father to five children, including Jack, his seventeen-year-old son with non-verbal autism. Jason has written extensively on the subject of faith and autism, special needs families, and his own journey from grief to acceptance of his son’s condition. He blogs at JasonHague.com, and on his Facebook page, Jason Hague, writer. The success of his blog and the viral video he posted there, A Reflection of Aching Joy, led to his first book with NavPress in 2018. Aching Joy: Following God through the Land of Unanswered Prayer was warmly received by church and special needs communities. The book won a Cascade Award for best memoir in 2019. Jason has been a guest on numerous podcasts and radio shows such as Focus on the Family, and his writing has appeared in Christianity Today, Ann Voskamp, Fathom Magazine, and Finding Cooper’s Voice.