Inside Mama’s Heart: A Personal Story of Advocacy and Purpose with Allyssa Meyerhofer - Episode 122

Inclusion and Disability Advocacy from a Parent's Perspective: The Inclusive Dad

In this episode of The Inclusive Dad podcast, host AAron sits down with nurse, author, and advocate Allyssa Meyerhofer to discuss her journey into disability advocacy following her daughter Gabby’s rare diagnosis of Trisomy 9p. Allyssa shares how connection, creativity, and community transformed her challenges into purpose. From writing her first book Mama’s Heart to winning the Karis Award at Mayo Clinic, Alyssa brings insight, heart, and hope to families navigating complex diagnoses. Together, they explore the power of storytelling, sibling empathy, inclusive parenting, and redefining support for parents and children with disabilities.

Key Takeaways:

Rare Diagnosis Journey: Allyssa’s daughter Gabby’s diagnosis of Trisomy 9p sparked her path into advocacy.

Creative Coping: Writing Mama’s Heart became a healing outlet and resource for other parents.

Sibling Inclusion: Allyssa highlights the empathy her older children developed through lived experience.

Support Systems: She emphasizes the value of local, virtual, and parent-led support communities.

Redefining Roles: Discussion on how spouses navigate differing advocacy and caregiving roles.

Allyssa Meyerhofer’s definition of inclusion:

Inclusion is reaching out and saying hi when you're out in the community, taking time to communicate directly with the person.

Allyssa Meyerhofer’s Bio:

Allyssa Meyerhofer is a nurse at the Mayo Clinic, and she lives in southeastern Minnesota with her husband, who is a farmer, and her three beautiful girls. Following the diagnosis of her youngest daughter, who has trisomy 9p, she has dedicated herself to becoming an advocate in the caregiving and disability world. An incredibly loyal person who’s never met a stranger, she loves to connect and make friends and can be described as a foodie. One of her passions includes helping parents find the resources she wasn’t originally given as well as the space to validate their feelings. Although Allyssa never planned to write a book or become an advocate, she has since found her calling and discovered what she was meant to do.

Connect with Allyssa Meyerhofer:

Website: https://allyssam.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555527056419

Email: [email protected]

Buy Her Book: https://a.co/d/ilDHoBI

SPAM© Count:

Host:

Yes

Current Guest:

No

Cumulative Guest Stats:

Yes - 47

No - 73

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