About this episode

Meg McElwain discusses her journey of grief and the creation of Mitchell's House, a nonprofit supporting families affected by pediatric medical trauma.

After losing her 2-year-old son Mitchell to leukemia, Meg McElwain found herself navigating unimaginable grief while also trying to help her surviving son process the trauma that had reshaped their family. What began as a donor-advised fund supporting other pediatric cancer families eventually evolved into Mitchell's House — now the first nonprofit counseling center in the country focused specifically on children, siblings and parents facing pediatric medical trauma. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, McElwain reflects on Mitchell’s life, the emotional toll of caregiving, and the difficult years that followed his death. She talks candidly about grief, divorce, parenting a surviving sibling, faith and rebuilding her life while transforming personal tragedy into a growing nonprofit that now serves families across the Charlotte region. McElwain also discusses: Why siblings of sick children often become “glass children” whose grief and trauma are overlooked The emotional and financial strain pediatric illness places on entire families Why the organization focuses on the entire family — not just the child receiving treatment The realities of anticipatory grief for…

People in this episode

Guest: Meg McElwain

Topics covered

• grief
• pediatric cancer
• nonprofit
• family support
• mental health
• parenting

Keywords

• pediatric illness
• counseling center
• sibling grief
• anticipatory grief
• family dynamics
• emotional support

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mitchell's House, Charlotte

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