Today I'm joined by Michelle Valiukinas Tisdahl, founder and executive director of The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation to talk about her work and - perhaps more poignantly - the circumstances that led up to it.

Michelle talks from the heart about her struggles to conceive and carry a pregnancy, the steps taken to become pregnant, the pain of losing her first child Sweet Pea to miscarriage and the awful day in which she was admitted to hospital when she was forced to give birth to her daughter Colette 16 weeks prematurely. Though Colette was born and taken to NICU, sadly she passed 9 days later.

In the midst of her own grief and trying to make sense of the situation, Michelle couldn't help but see the pain of others who were struggling with their own grief and loss but also the financial strain placed upon them by the U.S. healthcare system. While acknowledging that she was in a financially privileged situation, Michelle sought to help families who had been affected by their own loss but were forced back to work in a state of physical and emotional distress due to the cost of their time in hospital.

On September 7th of that year (Colette's original due date) Michelle launched her foundation with the aim of providing financial assistance to families dealing with high-risk or complicated pregnancies, NICU stays or loss, in addition to advocating for institutional reforms in order to provide better care in traumatic times and working alongside families to provide emotional support.

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Check out Michelle's work on the links below:

Home - The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation

The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation - YouTube

Facebook

Check Out Michelle Valiukenas’s Story – CanvasRebel Magazine