Episode 67 | Todd and Morgan's Story - A son with Biliary Atresia and a liver transplant
Release Date: 05/05/2021
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info_outline“We had to learn everything we could because our son’s life was literally on the line.”
Katie, Certified Child Life Specialist talks with Todd and Morgan who just a few weeks after the birth of their first child were faced with the truth that he had a life threatening condition called Biliary Atresia. The cure? A liver transplant.
Despite the many challenges they faced, Todd and Morgan talk about:
+How they used family to be their “google doctors”
+How to find your voice during bedside rounds
+Why started a business called Child Life Coffee
*Sponsor: Jambo Books
A Jambo Books subscription is like hitting the easy button for great diverse literature for your children. Every month, Jambo Books sends you 2 or 3 age-appropriate fiction books that star children of color. Jambo Books is a great gift for baby showers, birthdays, holidays or just because. Jambo serves children from birth to age 13.
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