Some diagnoses arrive quietly, but they change everything.

In this episode of Born For This Stories, Johanna and Peter sit down with Mariangel, a Venezuelan-Canadian mother of two whose daughter was born with clubfoot. What began as shock and uncertainty after birth became a journey shaped by resilience, family support, and a deep commitment to making sure her daughter and other children like her were never left out.

Mariangel shares what it was like discovering her daughter's clubfoot after a C-section, navigating early treatment, learning to advocate within the medical system, and opening herself up to the community when she needed it most. Her story highlights how vulnerability creates connection — and how lived experience can inspire meaningful change.

This conversation also explores how Mariangel transformed daily challenges, like diaper changes and adaptive footwear, into a purpose-driven brand designed to support clubfoot families around the world.

• Discovering a clubfoot diagnosis at birth and processing early emotions

• The experience of navigating treatment, casting, bracing, and long-term correction

• How family history and community conversations shaped confidence and perspective

• The importance of asking questions and feeling truly supported by providers

• Why opening up created a village of unexpected support

• The day-to-day realities of caring for a baby in braces

• How frustration turned into creativity and purpose

• Creating adaptive clothing to meet a need that didn't exist

• Ensuring children with clubfoot feel included, comfortable, and celebrated

• Advice for parents learning to balance advocacy with presence and joy

Little Clubbers Apparel was created to support children with clubfoot and other orthopedic needs through thoughtful, inclusive design that makes everyday moments easier for families.

🌿 Website: www.littleclubbersapparel.com
📸 Instagram: @Littleclubbers_apparel
📘 Facebook: @LittleClubbers Apparel
🎵 TikTok: @Littleclubbers_apparel

If today's episode resonated with you, we invite you to share your story and connect with our growing community of families navigating diagnoses, differences, and healing.

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You were born for this — and you don't have to carry it by yourself.

Healing doesn't always look the way we expect, and it rarely happens all at once.

In the final part of Rebecca's three-part story, we explore what long-term healing looked like after stepping fully into a gut-centered, holistic approach for her daughter's severe juvenile idiopathic arthritis. This episode focuses on the slow, steady work of rebuilding the immune system, restoring gut health, and creating an environment where healing could actually take root.

Rebecca shares how food, sourcing, detoxification, nervous system regulation, and community support became the foundation for her daughter's recovery, and how this journey reshaped the health of their entire family. This conversation is about patience, trust, and learning to measure progress differently when you're healing from chronic illness.

This episode brings Rebecca's story full circle and offers hope to parents who are deep in the day-to-day work of supporting a child with autoimmune disease.

• How gut health became the cornerstone of healing juvenile idiopathic arthritis

• The role of the GAPS diet in immune regulation and inflammation reduction

• Why healing from autoimmune disease is non-linear and deeply individual

• Food sourcing, nutrient density, and reducing environmental stressors

• Supporting detox pathways through daily habits and lifestyle choices

• Navigating school, social situations, and food boundaries during healing

• How emotional regulation and nervous system support affect physical healing

• The importance of consistency, patience, and parental leadership

• How community support sustained their family through a long healing journey

• What life looks like now and how this experience changed everything

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When the standard treatment plan doesn't feel right, what happens next?

In Part 2 of Rebecca's three-part story, we continue her family's journey after her daughter's devastating diagnosis of severe juvenile idiopathic arthritis. This episode explores what happened when Rebecca chose to step outside conventional care and pursue a radically different approach. An approach rooted in nutrition, detoxification, gut health, and environmental changes.

Rebecca shares the emotional weight of making high-stakes decisions for her child, the isolation that can come with choosing a nontraditional path, and the slow, often invisible work of supporting healing from the inside out. This conversation pulls back the curtain on what holistic healing actually looks like day-to-day, and why resilience, patience, and trust are essential when answers aren't immediate.

This episode is for parents navigating chronic illness, autoimmune disease, and the space between medical guidance and parental intuition.

This is Part 2 of a three-part story.

• What happened after Rebecca decided not to follow the initial medication plan

• The role of food, sourcing, and dietary changes in autoimmune healing

• Why gut health became a central focus in her daughter's recovery plan

• The emotional and financial toll of choosing an alternative path

• Navigating doubt, criticism, and fear while advocating for your child

• How detoxification and environmental awareness fit into their healing journey

• What holistic healing actually looks like behind the scenes

• Why progress isn't always linear and why that doesn't mean it isn't working

👣 Share your story or connect with our community at bornforthestories.com
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🙏 Subscribe, rate, and share this episode to help other parents feel less alone