Please join us in welcoming Mitchelle Rao, the newest member of our Peer Support Mentor team! Mitchelle is an HIE mom living in Nairobi, Kenya, and her training brings us one step closer to making sure families across the globe have someone to talk to that understands. Read on to get to know Mitchelle, her son Jed, and the path that led her to mentorship.
Mitchelle is part of a family of three, and at the center of it is her only child, Jed, now 4 years old.
Mitchelle became a mom at a young age, and she's honest that it wasn't always easy. Those early years stretched her in ways she never expected. Yet looking back, she sees how much she has grown. In her words, Jed "has completely reshaped my life." Motherhood built her confidence, deepened her emotional strength, and changed the way she sees the world and the people in it.
Ask Michelle what Jed has given her, and the list comes easily: "He has taught me strength, patience, compassion, and the importance of taking things one day at a time."
HIE brought Mitchelle more than challenges. It also brought her people. Through her journey, she found a circle of parents and caregivers who understand this life in a way that's hard to explain to anyone who hasn't lived it.
Now she's ready to be that person for someone else. "Becoming a peer mentor gives me the opportunity to give back by listening, sharing, encouraging, and simply being there for another parent who may be finding their way."
For Mitchelle, mentorship isn't about having every answer. It's about showing up and she knows firsthand how powerful words of encouragement can be:
"If our journey can bring even a little hope, comfort, or reassurance to another family, then I'm grateful to share it. I believe none of us should have to walk this journey alone, and sometimes having someone say, 'I understand,' can make all the difference."
Mitchelle is now available as a 1:1 Peer Support Mentor and will help lead some of our monthly support groups. To be matched with a mentor like Mitchelle, visit HIE.Support.
As our community grows, so does our need for mentors. We are always looking for parents and caregivers who have walked the HIE journey and are looking for meaningful ways to give back. If you’ve been there and feel inspired to support other HIE families as a Peer Support Mentor, we would love to hear from you. Together, we can ensure no HIE family feels alone.
*We currently have a strong need for parents in our Loss Community as Peer Support Mentors.
Apply to be a Peer Support Mentor.
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