Two Sisters with Cystic Fibrosis - Laura's Story (252)
Inside the Children's Hospital
Release Date: 04/30/2025
Meningitis in Children: When a Mother's Instinct Led to Life-Saving Answers
Inside the Children's Hospital
What happens when your child seems sick, but everything keeps coming back normal? For a lot of parents, the scariest part isn’t the diagnosis. It’s the not knowing. It’s being told everything looks fine when your gut is telling you something is off. This week, Katie sits down with Kayleigh, a medical assistant and mom of three, to share the story of her daughter Kanessa. Almost a year after a freak eye injury that seemed to heal, Kanessa suddenly got sick. At first, it looked like a simple virus. But within days, things escalated fast. Kaylee shares what it was like trying to make sense...
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When a Parent Has Cancer: What Kids Understand Before We Say It
Inside the Children's Hospital
What happens when your child already senses something life-changing—before anyone has found the words to say it out loud? When serious illness enters a family, children often understand more than we realize. And for caregivers, the challenge becomes not only navigating medical decisions, but also finding the right way to support their children through it all. This week, Katie sits down with Anna Lonon, founder of to share her family’s story of navigating cancer when her husband Michael was diagnosed with stage three head and neck cancer at just 29 years old. While raising a young son and...
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Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA): A Parent’s Journey from First Signs to Diagnosis
Inside the Children's Hospital
What happens when your instincts tell you something is wrong—but you’re dismissed again and again? For many parents, the journey to a diagnosis begins with a gut feeling—and the courage to persist in seeking answers. This week, Katie sits down with Nikki McIntosh, author and advocate, to share the story of her son Miles, who was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at just 18 months old. After noticing delays in his ability to stand and bear weight, Nikki followed her instincts despite initial dismissal—ultimately leading to a life-changing diagnosis. Nikki shares what those...
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HIE at Birth: A Dad’s Story of Brain Injury, NICU Trauma, and Finding Purpose
Inside the Children's Hospital
Within minutes of arriving at the hospital, Brady and his wife were told their newborn daughter had suffered a severe brain injury. In this episode of Inside the Children's Hospital, Katie sits down with Brady Crandall, founder of Youth Crews, to share his family’s journey following a diagnosis of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). What began as a routine pregnancy quickly turned into an emergency delivery, NICU stay, and a new reality as parents of a medically complex child. Brady opens up about: The shock and uncertainty of those early days Navigating life as a “medical dad.” The...
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Preparing Your Child for Surgery: A Pediatric ENT Surgeon’s Honest Advice
Inside the Children's Hospital
How do you prepare a child for surgery and build trust with their medical team? This episode explores how families and healthcare providers can work together to support children through procedures like tonsillectomy and other medical challenges. This week’s guest, Dr. Tali Lando, shares her perspective as a pediatric ENT surgeon, author, and mom of three teenage daughters. She and Katie discuss what it’s really like for families navigating medical care with complex kids and how parents can advocate effectively while still building strong partnerships with their child’s care team. If...
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Life After Pediatric Kidney Transplant: A Mom’s Journey Through Dialysis, Surgery, and Recovery
Inside the Children's Hospital
What does life really look like after a child receives a kidney transplant? Many people think transplant is the end of the journey—but for families, it’s often just the beginning. This week’s guest, Lyndsey Fedorko, returns to the podcast to share the next chapter of her son James’s medical journey—life after a kidney transplant. After years of dialysis, hospitalizations, and uncertainty, James received a life-saving kidney transplant from his aunt, marking the beginning of a new season for their family. Lyndsey and Katie reflect on the intense months surrounding transplant surgery,...
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Healing After the NICU: Processing Trauma, Loss, and Your Family's Story
Inside the Children's Hospital
This week’s guests, perinatal mental health therapists Emily Souder and Mahaley Patel, share the story behind their book Your NICU Story: Reflecting on Your Family’s Experience—a guided journal created to help families process the emotional impact of a NICU stay. Mahaley also opens up about her daughter, Sachi, who died after a NICU stay, and how storytelling and narrative healing became a lifeline in her grief. She and Emily talk with Katie about why so many NICU parents carry trauma long after discharge and how writing your story can help families reconnect with what they experienced....
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Trust, Grief, and Loving Your Child Through Big Identity Changes
Inside the Children's Hospital
What happens when your child shares something that shifts the future you thought you understood? In this episode of Inside the Children’s Hospital, Katie sits down with Kelly Kemp — certified child life specialist of more than 30 years and mom of three — to talk about navigating trust, grief, advocacy, and love after her child was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and came out as transgender. Kelly shares: The phone call that changed everything Navigating substance use and mental health concerns Grieving privately while choosing love publicly Rebuilding trust with her...
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Helping Kids Navigate Physical Differences: Child Life Strategies for Confidence, Curiosity & Resilience
Inside the Children's Hospital
How do you help a child respond when someone asks about a scar, burn, or limb difference? This week’s guest, Abby Horton, opens up about her journey as a Child Life Specialist working across ICU, burn, surgical, rehab, and inpatient settings—and how those experiences shaped the way she supports families navigating physical differences. From sudden trauma and accidents to limb differences, burn injuries, surgical scars, and hair loss from chemotherapy, Abby shares how parents can gently empower their children to own their story with confidence. She and Katie discuss simple, age-appropriate...
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Micro Preemie at 25 Weeks: A NICU Mom’s Journey
Inside the Children's Hospital
This week's guest opens up about the shock of an emergency C-section at 25 weeks and 3 days, the fear of entering the NICU for the first time, and the powerful role Child Life Specialists played in supporting not only Vincent, but their entire family, including his older brother. She reflects on what helped her cope during long NICU days, how she advocated for herself using her healthcare background, and what she wishes she had known about the “medically complex” label sooner. This episode explores sibling bonding in the NICU, the impact of a truly integrated care team, the importance of...
info_outlineWhat would you do if both of your children were diagnosed with a life-threatening genetic disease—and there was no support system in place for parents like you?
In this inspiring episode, Katie interviews Laura Bonnell, a former Detroit news reporter turned full-time advocate and nonprofit founder. After both of her daughters were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF), Laura transformed her grief and determination into the Bonnell Foundation, providing real-time support to families across the U.S. who are navigating life with CF.
In this powerful episode, we explore:
✅ How Laura pushed for her daughter’s diagnosis when doctors dismissed her instincts
✅ Why child life services were “among the best things” during hospitalizations
✅ What it’s like raising two daughters with cystic fibrosis in the same home
✅ The emotional toll of pretending “everything’s fine” as a medical parent
✅ How her foundation is providing financial relief, mentorship, and inspiration
✅ Why advocacy can take many forms—and how small actions can create significant change
Whether you're a CF parent, a caregiver of a chronically ill child, or someone passionate about parent-led advocacy, this episode will move and motivate you.
Timestamps & Key Topics
⏱️ [00:00] – The Power of Child Life Services
How art, distraction, and support brought relief during hospital stays
⏱️ [03:00] – Meet Laura Bonnell
From Detroit news reporter to cystic fibrosis advocate and nonprofit founder
⏱️ [06:00] – A Life-Altering Diagnosis
How Laura’s instincts—and persistence—led to a CF diagnosis after months of dismissal
⏱️ [09:00] – Fighting for Answers & Processing the News
Pulling over mid-assignment to receive the call—and deciding, that same day, to keep moving forward
⏱️ [12:00] – Advocacy from the Start
Speaking publicly just weeks after diagnosis and discovering the emotional weight of her new reality
⏱️ [14:00] – Life with Two Children with CF
Navigating work, marriage, and hospitalization rotations while trying to maintain “normalcy”
⏱️ [16:00] – School Accommodations & Advocacy Wins
How brochures, IV poles, and enzymes in every classroom made private school possible
⏱️ [18:00] – The Hidden Truths of “Being Fine”
Why Laura never told friends how hard it really was—and what she wishes she could’ve said
⏱️ [21:00] – Building Community & Finding Strength in Other Moms
How hospital garden meetups and phone calls with CF parents created safe spaces
⏱️ [23:00] – Founding the Bonnell Foundation
How a calendar and a vision turned into a national nonprofit serving families with CF
⏱️ [26:00] – What the Bonnell Foundation Offers
From financial assistance and college scholarships to CF masterclasses and bilingual resources
⏱️ [28:00] – “Don’t F With Me”: Laura’s Strength as an Advocate
Why she’ll knock on every door, from Capitol Hill to the hospital billing department
⏱️ [29:00] – Celebrating Her Daughters
Emily’s resilience through hospitalizations and marathon training
Molly’s fearless leap to study in London and become a sustainability changemaker
Resources & Links
📌 Learn More About The Bonnell Foundation: www.thebonnellfoundation.org
📲 Follow Laura Bonnell: @thebonnellfoundation
📘 Apply for Scholarships & Financial Support: CF Support Programs
🎧 More Episodes: Child Life On Call Podcast
Share Your Thoughts!
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The Child Life On Call Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. The content shared in each episode, including stories, discussions, and interviews, is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. The views and opinions expressed by guests on the Child Life On Call Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Child Life On Call. Child Life On Call does not endorse any specific medical treatments, procedures, or opinions shared in the podcast. If you or your child are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or seek immediate medical attention. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that Child Life On Call and its affiliates are not responsible for any decisions made based on the information provided.