In this episode of Resilient AF, hosts Blair and Alana interviewed Dr. Tasha Faruqui and her daughter, Soraya, about their experiences with Mr. Main, a beloved teacher who passed away from illness. Soraya shared her ability to communicate with spirits and her close relationship with Mr. Main, who provided her support during a difficult time at school. Tasha discussed Soraya's unique gifts and their family's approach to discussing spirituality. The conversation also touched on Soraya's current health challenges, living in Hospice, and her message of advice for other teens facing similar situations. This is their story and Tasha and Soraya are RESILIENT A.F.

Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/

About the Guests:

Dr. Tasha Faruqui is a pediatrician, speaker, advocate, and author of Keep Your Head Up: A Mother’s Story of Chasing Joy in the Face of Grief (Jossey-Bass, 2025). Inspired by her father, a doctor to an underserved rural community, Tasha joined the National Health Service Corps after medical school. However, her focus shifted when her daughter Soraya was born with a rare genetic disorder. Tasha is now a passionate advocate for parents of medically complex children and those experiencing anticipatory grief, regularly sharing her message of hope at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Make-A-Wish events, and on Instagram (@thefaruqui5). She was named a top doctor by Cincinnati Magazine in 2022, 2024, and 2025. Connect and learn more at www.tashafaruqui.com.

Soraya

Soraya is 13 years old, and she is a kind, trendy girlie who loves so many things it’s almost impossible to list them all. She loves makeup, nail designs, graphic novels, dolls, and games on my iPad/ Computer. Her favorite games are Toca Boca and SIMS. She also loves hanging out with her family and friends. Soraya was born with a rare genetic disease that impacts the TAOK1 gene. Little is known about the disease; however, for Soraya, it is progressive and is similar to ALS. She is currently in hospice and making the best out of every moment. Soraya is most proud of her job as a Youth Equity Ambassador, where she connects with other individuals with disabilities across the world and advocates for accessible spaces.

⚠️ Content Note: Some episodes may contain themes that could be distressing. Please take care of yourself while listening, and don’t hesitate to seek support from a mental health professional if needed.

About the Hosts:

Blair Kaplan Venables is a British Columbia-based grief and resilience expert and coach, motivational speaker and the Founder of The Global Resilience Project. Her expertise has been featured on media platforms like Forbes, TEDx, CBC Radio, Entrepreneur, and Thrive Global. She is named the Top Grief and Resilience Expert of the Year 2024 by IAOTP. USA Today listed Blair as one of the top 10 conscious female leaders to watch and she empowers others to be resilient from stages around the world. 'MyStory,’ which is a television show available on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Google Play, showcases Blair's life story. She is the host of the Radical Resilience podcast and specializes in helping people strengthen their resilience muscle using scientifically proven methods and guides grieving high performers with her Navigating Grief Framework. The Global Resilience Project’s award-winning book series are international bestsellers, and her fourth book, RESILIENT A.F.: Stories of Resilience Vol 2, will be published in January 2025. In her free time, you can find Blair writing, in nature,...