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Episode three of our series on Death + Dying. Healing through grief is on the table today. In part two of this two-part episode, we continue our conversation with Heather Mansson, a pharmacist turned yoga instructor and mother of three kids. Shortly after moving to Utah in 2020, Heather’s daughter Parker was diagnosed with an aggressive form of sarcoma. After years of treatment, which included countless surgeries, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, Parker passed away in May of 2022. Parker was 11 years old when she died. In Parker's honor, Heather and her husband Rob founded The Little P Project as a way to raise money for families impacted by childhood sarcoma and fund scientific research towards treatment options.Through this foundation, Heather advocates for the modernization of pediatric oncology and improving outcomes for young cancer patients.

Heather sits down with Ashley to discuss Parker’s life, the little P Project, and the ways Heather and her family have learned to move through grief. Heather gets candid with Ashley, providing eye-opening wisdom on how to support loved ones dealing with the unimaginable. Heather shares valuable resources that helped her grapple with her loss and move forward in her pain. 

It is hard to conceptualize how to move forward after such an enormous loss. With this episode, and the Death + Dying series as a whole, we aim to foster open dialogue about the often uncomfortable topics of death and grief. Heather's words of wisdom underscore the importance of open conversation with loved ones in the grief process. Our hope is that with a brave willingness to tackle uncomfortable topics and have difficult conversations, we can show up for our friends, our family and ourselves in a more meaningful way. No subject is off-limits in our pursuit of meaningful connection.

Read It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand by Megan Devine

Read Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler

You can learn more about Parker and donate to the Little P Project at The Little P Projects website.

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