Carrie Schmitt:
Turning Loss Into Purpose
Carrie Schmitt’s story of tragedy and transformation revolves around her son’s unexpected death from cancer. Determined to make a difference, she founded Love Like Jackson, a nonprofit that provides therapy for grieving children and families while spreading vital awareness about childhood cancer.
Bio
Carrie Schmitt originates from Iowa, and resides in St. Louis, graduated with a Psychology degree, mother of 2, wife to Mike, former surrogate, non profit founder, childhood cancer advocate and a coffee snob. Carrie prides herself on finding joy in the little things in life. She drives all over the country for her son’s ninja and delicious coffee. Carrie’s path took a hard left when her precious 7 year old son, Jackson, died leaving their family heartbroken and his younger sibling with debilitating anxiety.
This set a fire to Carrie and changed her path.
Her non profit, Love Like Jackson, is her heart’s work providing resources to families whose child has died. Carrie is a lover of words and was changed by the words of her therapist, Glen Doherty, who says if you replace the word “hard” with “important,” it changes how you approach things.
Topics
- The emotional impact of childhood cancer on families
- Turning grief into advocacy and action
- The importance of providing therapy for children who’ve lost a sibling
- How losing a child changes your perspective on life
- Creating a nonprofit from personal tragedy
- Raising awareness for underfunded childhood cancer research
- Kindness as a tool for healing and resilience
- Coping with anxiety and grief in the aftermath of loss
- The emotional toll of surrogacy in the face of personal loss
- The power of community support for grieving families
Guiding Questions
- What was the moment when you realized that Jackson’s illness was more than just a leg pain?
- How did you manage to balance being a surrogate with what your family was going through?
- Can you talk about the first steps you took after Jackson passed away, and how you decided to start Love Like Jackson?
- What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when starting your nonprofit?
- How did your personal grief shape the way you advocate for childhood cancer research today?
- What role did therapy, both for your son and yourself, play in your healing process?
- How do you manage to spread kindness despite the immense pain you’ve been through?
- What advice would you give to other parents facing a similar loss?
- How has your view of kindness and empathy evolved since Jackson’s death?
- Can you share some of the ways that Love Like Jackson has impacted other families?