Mother's Quest Podcast Ep 10: Choosing Gratitude and Glitter with Nancy Netherland
I am thrilled to share this heartwarming conversation with Nancy Netherland, a healthcare advocate and a self-proclaimed mom-ologist with on-the-mom training in infectious disease, hepatology, rheumatology, gastrointestinology, and glitterology.
Nancy is also a healer and an artist. She is a mom to two mermaids ages 9 and 10 and works as a writer and data strategist for non-profit and safety-net healthcare entities. In the past five years, she has helped secure over $100-million in grant funding, influenced international policy, and provided research for publications and speeches presented before the UN, WHO and the US Congress.
In our conversation, we explore how Nancy’s parents instilled a sense that anything is possible, something she has needed to draw on as she faced the loss of her husband and the serious, chronic illnesses of her daughters. She shares how she and her girls cultivate generosity and pay that generosity forward through something they created called “gratitools.” And, we talk about how she has developed relationships with other parents of sick children, despite their vastly differing viewpoints, a message deeply needed during today’s divided times.
I was moved to tears by Nancy and how she consciously chooses gratitude to ensure she and her children experience joy and laughter in the midst of adversity. I hope you will join me in saying yes to Nancy’s challenge... to find the magic not only in the everyday, but especially in the midst of something hard.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- How her parents influenced her childhood by teaching her that anything is possible
- Resiliency and mindfulness during traumatic events
- The importance of creating magic in our lives
- “Gratituding” as a verb
- Her favorite book “Man’s Search for Meaning”
- Advocating for your children’s health
- The importance of community, especially as a caretaker
- Building deep relationships with people of differing viewpoints
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Gratitool
- Choosing Gratitude
- Hepatitis C information
- Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
- Commonweal - where Nancy learned her framework for self-care
- Clinical Trials a site that is open to the public to find life saving clinical trials
- UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital
A big THANK YOU to our first "patrons" for helping to bring these conversations to myself and other mothers through financial support:
- Fran and David Lieberman - who provided a "dedication" for this episode
- Cameron Miranda
- Debbie and Alan Goore
- Jenise and Marianne of the Sustainable Living Podcast
Do you enjoy this podcast and want to support more meaningful conversations such as these? Visit the Mother’s Quest Patreon Page to become a regular patron or visit this link - www.mothersquest.com/be-a-supporter to make a one-time donation.