Girls with Grafts

In our latest episode of Girls with Grafts, we sit down with Dr. Kenny Tello, Corporate Director of Team Member Well-Being at Orlando Health, where he leads initiatives that empower people, elevate leaders, and build cultures rooted in care, connection, and transformation.Together, we dive into the healing world of pet therapy! 🐾 Dr. Tello helps us understand the science behind pet therapy, the importance of proper pet handling and program design, and the emotional benefits that animals offer in restoring trust, reducing anxiety, and supporting trauma recovery. He also offers practical guidance for anyone interested in launching a pet therapy program—from safety and structure to purpose and impact. Join us as Dr. Tello helps us rethink care, embrace empathy, and explore how even four paws can help transform the human spirit! 🐶  #BurnSurvivor #GirlsWithGrafts #Podcast #SurvivorPodcast #BurnSurvivorStories⭐️ Enjoyed the show? Tell us by leaving a 5-star review and sharing on social media using hashtag #GirlswithGrafts and tagging Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors!   Meet Our Guest Dr. Kenny Tello serves as the Corporate Director of Team Member Well-Being at Orlando Health, where he leads initiatives that empower team members and equip leaders to foster a culture of care and organizational transformation. With over 20 years of clinical experience and extensive research in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and Leadership, he is recognized as an expert in mental health and human performance. Dr. Tello has been instrumental in developing nationally recognized programs and has consulted globally on critical incident protocols. Dr. Tello continues to champion science-based strategies to help individuals and organizations thrive. Links  👉 Read Dr. Tello’s article “Pet Therapy as a Healing Art: How Animals Help Us Heal in Hospitals:” https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/pet-therapy-as-a-healing-art-how-animals-help-us-heal-in-hospitals  👉 Read “One Family, Two Dogs, and a Whole Lot of Love:” https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/one-family-two-dogs-and-a-whole-lot-of-love  👉 Read “FAQ: Pets at Home After Burn Injury:” https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/faq-pets-at-home-after-burn-injury  Podcast Sponsor Today’s podcast is powered by one of our fire prevention partners, Telgian! Telgian is committed to providing effective and innovative fire protection, life safety and security programs. Learn more by visiting www.telgian.com.  Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at [email protected].  

In this episode of Girls with Grafts, Amber and Rachel are joined by 20-year-old burn survivor and future Occupational Therapist, Ali Moll. Ali shares her story of becoming a burn survivor at just two and a half years old after falling into a campfire and how that moment shaped her journey, identity, and purpose.Together, we explore the powerful impact of her support system growing up, how her experiences influenced her self-confidence, and how she learned to embrace her scars as a source of strength rather than a limitation. ✨Now a student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison studying to become an Occupational Therapist, Ali talks about her passion for helping others heal. 💛 She shares why she became a Phoenix SOAR Peer Supporter, her desire to help survivors feel seen and supported, and her advice for those learning to navigate their own healing journey.#BurnSurvivor #GirlsWithGrafts #Podcast #SurvivorPodcast #BurnSurvivorStories⭐️ Enjoyed the show? Tell us by leaving a 5-star review and sharing on social media using hashtag #GirlswithGrafts and tagging Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors!   Meet Our Guest Today's guest is Ali Moll! Ali is 20 years old and became a burn survivor at the age of two and a half when she fell into a camp fire. She is currently in college at UW Madison studying to become an Occupational Therapist! Links  👉 Learn more about Phoenix SOAR (Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery): https://resources.phoenix-society.org/phoenix-soar  👉 Download “Beyond Surviving: Tools for Social Empowerment:” https://resources.phoenix-society.org/beyond-surviving-whitepaper  Podcast Sponsor Today’s podcast is powered by the National Fire Protection Association! NFPA is a nonprofit that seeks to save lives and reduce loss with information, knowledge, & passion. Learn more about fire safety and explore their educational resources by visiting www.nfpa.org.Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at [email protected].  

We’re celebrating 100 episodes of Girls with Grafts—and we couldn’t think of a better guest to mark this milestone than our friend and returning guest, Kechi Okwuchi! 🎉In this special episode, Amber and Rachel look back at how the podcast began, the stories that shaped it, and the incredible community that has grown around it. Then we catch up with Kechi, who brings her warmth, honesty, and humor to a conversation that reminds us why this community matters so much. Together, we explore what it means to surround yourself with the right people, how community lifts us through every chapter, and the shared resilience. 💪This episode is a celebration of every listener, every survivor, every supporter, and every story shared along the way. Here’s to 100 episodes—and the community that makes it all possible! 🫶#BurnSurvivor #GirlsWithGrafts #Podcast #SurvivorPodcast #BurnSurvivorStories⭐️ Enjoyed the show? Tell us by leaving a 5-star review and sharing on social media using hashtag #GirlswithGrafts and tagging Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors!   Meet Our Guest Kechi is a Nigerian-born author and powerful singer.  She is an inspirational and TEDx keynote speaker, MBA graduate, and bullying prevention advocate. Her dramatic story, as well as her impactful messages of resiliency and overcoming combine powerfully to inspire personal and cultural transformation. Kechi found her true voice after her accident- a plane crash that took the lives of 107 of 109 passengers in Nigeria in 2005. Throughout the difficult journey of burns recovery, Kechi was sustained by her Christian faith, her family and her music. Becoming a finalist on America’s Got Talent 2017 was Kechi’s truest dream realized, and on June 10th 2018, she released her debut single, ‘Don’t You Dare’ on all digital music platforms. Kechi hopes to use her voice and her story to ignite hope all over the world within those that need it. Links 👉 Follow Kechi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kechiofficial/?hl=en 👉 Learn more about Phoenix World Burn Congress: https://www.phoenix-society.org/phoenix-wbc 👉 Make a Giving Tuesday gift: https://give.phoenix-society.org/campaign/748897/donate 👉 Share your story with Phoenix Society: https://resources.phoenix-society.org/triptych-october-eom 👉 Listen to “Healing Hands: Pediatric Burn Care & Reconstructive Surgery with Dr. Shaun Mendenhall:” https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/healing-hands-pediatric-burn-care-reconstructive-surgery/id1646466634?i=1000693641360 👉 Follow Dr. Shaun Mendenhall on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pedshanddoc/?hl=en  Podcast Sponsor Today’s podcast is powered by Summit Fire Consulting, a national fire protection engineering and code consulting firm dedicated to helping people design and maintain complex buildings. Their team of experts interpret modern fire and building codes, design fire suppression and smoke management systems, assess risk, and ensure means of egress are safe in a wide variety of facilities—from healthcare, industrial, and historical buildings to stadiums and multi-family housing.Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at [email protected].  

In this powerful episode of Girls with Grafts, Rachel and Amber sit down with Brooke DelGaudio, a nurse practitioner, mom, and childhood burn survivor who’s turned her pain into purpose. 💙 Brooke opens up about growing up as a burn survivor, the invisible scars of childhood trauma, and the ways those experiences continue to shape her adult life.Together, they dive into what it means to live with “hidden burns,” navigate imposter syndrome, and bring empathy into healthcare from a survivor’s perspective. 🩺 Brooke also shares how becoming a mom has invited new layers of healing—and how she’s breaking cycles through self-awareness, compassion, and intentional parenting.Plus, Brooke and Amber swap stories about the house rules and kitchen safety lessons they now practice with their own families: Reminders that healing isn’t just about recovery, it’s about rewriting the future.✨#BurnSurvivor #GirlsWithGrafts #Podcast #SurvivorPodcast #BurnSurvivorStories #ChildhoodTrauma #BurnCare ⭐️ Enjoyed the show? Tell us by leaving a 5-star review and sharing on social media using hashtag #GirlswithGrafts and tagging Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors!   Meet Our Guest Brooke DelGaudio is a 40-year-old nurse practitioner based in Denver, Colorado, specializing in wound care. Her passion for this work is deeply rooted in her personal experience as a burn survivor. At 18 months old, she sustained 3rd- and 4th-degree burns over 35% of her body after climbing into a sink with a faulty water temperature gauge. By the age of 10, she had undergone 25 surgeries. These early experiences—and the resilience they required—continue to shape her both personally and professionally.Growing up, Brooke attended Cheley Burn Camp, where she learned to embrace her scars and began building confidence in herself. While there are still moments of struggle—like when friends invite her for pedicures, reminding her she doesn’t have toenails, or when sore feet make her wish for “normal skin”—she has come to accept that her scars are an integral part of her story.Outside of her professional work, Brooke volunteers with Phoenix SOAR,offering the guidance, empathy, and realistic perspective she once needed herself is particularly meaningful to her.In her free time, Brooke enjoys baking, snowboarding, and spending time with her husband and their three-year-old. She believes in the lifelong journey of healing and embodies the message of her tattoo: “strength is beautiful.” Links 👉 Learn more about Phoenix SOAR: https://resources.phoenix-society.org/phoenix-soar 👉 Read “Hidden Burns Matter:” https://phoenix-society.org/resources/hidden-burns-matter👉 Read “Learning to Live with Hidden Burns:” https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/learning-to-live-with-hidden-burns 👉 Read “Burnout in Burn Care: A Call to Care for Ourselves and Each Other:” https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/burnout-in-burn-care-a-call-to-care-for-ourselves-and-each-other Podcast Sponsor Today’s podcast is powered by Cunningham Law Firm! Located in Phoenix, Arizona and helping clients nationwide, the Cunningham Law Firm specializes in personal injury, wrongful death and burn related cases. Learn more by visiting https://cunninghamlawfirm.com.  Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at [email protected]. 

In this episode of Girls with Grafts, Rachel sits down with Emily Hespeler, a burn survivor, storyteller, and certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS). Emily shares how recreation therapy empowers survivors to heal, grow, and reclaim independence after trauma, and how sharing your story can open doors to connection and community. 🧘‍♂️Together, Emily and Rachel explore what it means to feel confident in your own skin, the power of affirmations (like Emily’s go-to: “I’m a baddie”), and the importance of showing up authentically in every space. 💛 Emily also gives us a glimpse into their community meet-ups in New York City, where creativity, connection, and resilience thrive.#BurnSurvivor #GirlsWithGrafts #Podcast #SurvivorPodcast #BurnSurvivorStories⭐️ Enjoyed the show? Tell us by leaving a 5-star review and sharing on social media using hashtag #GirlswithGrafts and tagging Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors!   Meet Our Guest Emily Hespeler is a certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS), burn survivor, speaker, and storyteller based in New York City. Drawing from their personal journey of recovery and resilience after their burn injury, Emily combines professional expertise in recreation therapy with powerful storytelling to inspire others to embrace their inner strength. In their everyday life, Emily finds joy in simple routines: daily walks, spontaneous conversations with strangers, and their weekly jar of peanut butter. Links 👉 Visit Emily’s website: https://www.emilyhespeler.com/👉 Watch Emily’s 2025 Edinburgh Fringe show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQMhLYgMGsA 👉 Learn more and register for Phoenix World Burn Congress 2025: https://events.phoenix-society.org/event/PWBC2025/summary 👉 Join Phoenix Society’s Virtual Support Group: https://www.phoenix-society.org/what-we-do/virtual-support-group 👉 Submit your story to our Virtual Open Mic: https://www.phoenix-society.org/open-mic-submission Podcast Sponsor Today’s podcast is powered by the Donor Alliance Foundation & the Brookby Foundation! Both of these foundations play a critical role in supporting Phoenix Society and our programs. Their partnerships help us continue to create spaces for healing, connection, and advocacy—and we couldn’t do it without them! Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at [email protected].