Morgan Clausen, living in her mom’s honor

This week’s guest is Morgan Clausen, the daughter of Sandy Clausen, my pink sister and the light that inspired my Podcast DJ Breast Cancer. Morgan describes her mom, ”small but mighty”, a true cancer fighter that never gave up fighting and a selfless cheerleader. Living in her mom’s honor has challenged Morgan’s view of life and given her a different perspective on what truly brings her joy.

Losing her mom while only 19, has changed the “society‘s handbook“ of what her life should look like and what the lives of many of her friends and peers will be. Society’s handbook according to Morgan is graduating high school, then college, finding a job, getting married and having kids. Your parents becoming grandparents is part of this society’s handbook. The realization that Morgan’s children will never know their grandmother is her new startling reality. Despite the enormous loss of her mom, Morgan is determined to live in her mom’s honor.

This summer, Morgan is volunteering as a camp counselor at Camp Kesem On behalf of Brown University. Camp Kesem is an active community throughout the United States, driven by college students, supporting children through and beyond their parent's cancer with free year-round services. Camp Kesem's main program is a week-long sleepaway summer camp for kids whose parents have or have had cancer.

I am so proud of the young woman that Morgan is becoming and I know that her mom would be extremely proud of her too. Morgan made the difficult decision to return to university after her mom passed away, thousands of miles away from her dad. Morgan decided to not return to playing basketball. Big decisions for a 19 year old... I am so honored to have her as my guest, to share some memories of her mom, and bring her story to others.