Ever caught yourself in a moment that you wish you could capture perfectly, sharing the emotions and impact it had on you with others? This week, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Jen, a congenital heart parent and advocate, who shared how digital storytelling is a compelling way to encapsulate such moments, especially in the world of pediatric healthcare. Jennifer created 'Day One', a poignant digital story of her son's CHD diagnosis.

For Jennifer her exploration into digital storytelling didn't stop at capturing moments, she began to recognize the therapeutic impact of digital storytelling, using it as a tool for healing and advocacy. The beauty of digital storytelling lies in the creation process - it's about finding the essence of a story, weaving it together with captivating audio-visual elements, and setting the mood with the perfect score. 'Day One' has since served as a beacon of comfort for families in hospital settings dealing with similar experiences.

Our conversation with Jennifer also threw light on the potential of digital stories as a platform for connection. Backed by her vision of fostering a community of shared experiences, Jennifer shared her hopes to establish a digital story library based on the stories in her book, When Your World Stops; Finding Hope in Your Child's Medical Journey. This episode offers a glimpse into the profound impact of digital storytelling, not only as an effective medium of self-expression but also as a tool for fostering empathy and understanding in the realm of health and wellness. Tune in to listen to Jennifer's experience and discover how digital storytelling can make a difference in your own life.

About Our Guest

Jennifer Siran lives in Manitoba, Canada, with her husband and three children. For over a decade, she worked with marginalized youth in Winnipeg’s Inner City, learning the power of story when overcoming hardship. Writing has been a tool that she has used to process many complex emotions and all that life brings. After spending the last 12 years raising an amazing heart hero and navigating some major setbacks, she took time during Covid to write her book—a project to support fellow heart families in a unique way. Their family continues to navigate their son’s chronic illness in the midst of all the amazing things that childhood contains. 

Website: jennifersiran.com

Want to hear more from Jennifer? Watch the parent education session she facilitated for Children's Heart Network of BC Society here.

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