273: A Heart Transplant survivor helps her son through his own heart transplant- Brittany's Story

273: A Heart Transplant survivor helps her son through his own heart transplant- Brittany’s Story

Podcast Show Notes

Psychologist and heart-transplant recipient Dr. Brittany Clayborne shares the extraordinary mother–son story behind two transplants, a rare Danon’s disease diagnosis, and how her family’s BRAVE framework helps kids name feelings, face procedures, and find community. You’ll also hear how her teen son Micah turned his own experience into action—launching Transplant Teens and creating My Brave Journal to help peers process the journey.

What You’ll Hear

The whirlwind from Micah’s “chest pain after tennis” to an HCM diagnosis and transplant—and the Danon’s disease link behind both journeys.
Dr. Brittany’s BRAVE acronym (Breathe, Realize, Accept, Vent/Vulnerable, Elevate) and a practical way families can use a feelings wheel with kids and teens.
How months in cardiac ICU reshaped family routines, connection, and resilience—and why “hope is a team sport.”
Why Micah built Transplant Teens (a free, virtual peer community) and co-created My Brave Journal, including a transplant edition for education and coping.

Resources Mentioned

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