Dr. Brittany Clayborne is a mother that has been faced with many challenges.She was in perfect health until a heart attack during labor at 26 years of age with a condition called Peripartum Cardiomyopathy.  Most people recover from this disease within a few months to a few years, but a very small percentage do not and go on to need further medical care.  That was Brittany's case and since that diagnosis in 2010 Brittany "died" & had to be defibrillated 6 times.From June 2015 until August 2016 Brittany spent a total of 9 months in the hospital away from her son because her heart was so weak. During those 9 months she spent her “free time” starting a non-profit, Heart Unfailure (now Brittany Speaks), to educate on organ donation, as well as earning her Master’s Degree.  At the end of that 9 months, on the heart transplant list but with no heart in sight, Brittany wanted to get back to living with her son and pushed to be released from the hospital.  Her heart was so weak however that she had to have a Left Ventricular Assist Device or LVAD  so that she could leave on a battery- operated heart.  After waiting for 3 years, Brittany received her heart transplant and finally her new heart was in and working well.  Then in December of 2018 Brittany was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lymphoma. Throughout 2019 Brittany under went chemotherapy, radiation, and cell therapy to finally be declared cancer free in 2020.During various stages of Brittany’s illness, she sought a therapist that was able to help her process her critical illnesses. When her search continuously came up emptyBrittany decided to pursue her Doctorate in Psychology and received her degree in 2021.During her sickness, Brittany decided to dedicate her time and effort to the things that truly moved her soul, and in that pursuit, she found her love for speaking. Brittany’s ability to connect to a myriad of different people with her honesty, humor, and animated enthusiasm brings her story to life in transformative, passion driven, and unique ways.  Credited with having “The mind of a doctor and the heart of a patient,” Brittany speaks to share a story that will bring perseverance and grace with a bit of humor to the journey of life and to remind us of all that no matter what we face we can overcome.Brittany can be found on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebookat @drbrittanyspeaks or you may access her website atwww.brittanyspeaks. Connect with Marianne: Website: Message In The Middle with Marianne Message In the Middle Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/422430469323847/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MessageInTheMiddle/playlists LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-demello-smith-678b9966 Email: Contact | Message In The Middle with Marianne Subscribe to Message In the Middle: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Leave Us a Review: If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaway. Your feedback helps us reach more listeners and bring you even more valuable content.Keep the conversation going - Join us for more insightful conversations in the Message in the Middle Private Facebook Community & subscribe to Message in th...