WPFP8: Trust Your Gut, Let Go and Ride the Rapids with Kimber Felton
In this episode
Kimber Felton knew in her gut that something was “off” with her daughter. After a long process of discovery - which included a doctor proclaiming Kate would never walk, MRIs, EEGs, and a move to El Salvador - she learned Kate has Spastic Dysplasia, a condition that comes with a mix of physical and mental challenges but no clear answers. Undaunted, Kimber dealt with the issues at hand and created a world where her daughter and her whole family could thrive. Kimber shares everything from that very alone feeling of hearing an unexpected diagnosis “when all the ‘what-if’s’ of the world come down upon you,” to how her passion for outdoor adventure and life abroad opened her eyes to a world of possiblility. Regardless of how your own child (or a child in your life) struggles, Kimber’s story will give you tears, make you laugh, and leave you uplifted.
What You’ll Learn
When Kimber decided that having a diagnosis for her daughter didn’t matter.
How she advocated for her daughter while living abroad even though she wasn’t fluent in the local languages.
How a therapist in El Salvador and a school in Venezuela influenced Kimber ‘s philosophy on raising Kate.
What whitewater rafting and adaptive sports taught her about parenting.
Why Kimber thinks her marriage to Mike survived.
How she accepts Kate for who she is, while still setting expectations for her to succeed.
Kate rock climbing!
Resources Mentioned
· Adaptive Sports Center, Crested Butte, CO
· Lose the Training Wheels (camps offered all over, here are places to start):
· Spaulding Rehab, Boston, MA
· Shirley Ryan, AbilityLab, Chicago, IL
· City Kids, Chicago, IL