Marilyn and Holly are a dynamic mother-daughter speaking duo, who deliver a powerful, personal, and inspiring keynote address.
Just weeks after Holly gave birth to her first child – Marilyn’s first grand baby – their world came crashing down. What was meant to be an exciting time in their lives suddenly turned to tragedy, when Holly was paralyzed from the neck down on life support with GBS, a rare autoimmune disorder. Unable to speak, move, or hold her newborn daughter, Holly endured horrific physical and emotional pain for months. But with incredible perseverance and her mom by her side, she learned how to breathe, talk, walk and hold her daughter again. Holly and Marilyn found their strength to come back from the brink and overcome every obstacle they faced.
Holly & her mother Marilyn share their story of the faith and courage it took to climb out of the darkest valley. They share their experience of survival & perseverance, to inspire others to find the strength within to overcome any obstacles life may throw at them. They speak to bring awareness on the rare life threatening condition called GBS, and most of all, to find the hidden gifts and blessings within tragedy.
Holly and Marilyn speak on a variety of topics including overcoming adversity, health and well-being, and awareness and education for GBS. Whether you’re a business, conference, corporation or college, we would love to see how we can work together for your next event.
To book Holly and Marilyn for speaking engagements, contact breathtakingspeaking@gmail.com
Testimonials
Last fall, I invited Holly and Marilyn to present to Alberta Pharmacists’ Association members. They gave a very inspirational presentation on life after GBS to our RxA pharmacists. Our conference attendees used words like, ‘amazing’, ‘touching’, ‘emotional’, to describe their presentation and several said ‘this presentation will stay with me’. Holly and Marilyn were wonderful to work with-gracious, kind, and eager to meet our needs. For a heartfelt story that medical professionals can learn from, Holly’s story is an excellent fit.
Heather Scarlett-Ferguson, Alberta Pharmacists’ Association
“Holly and Marilyn spoke to our audience of physiotherapists at our semi-annual conference in 2019. Holly’s inspiring and courageous story of surviving and recovering from critical illness, and Marilyn’s story of supporting and advocating for Holly through that journey highlight the importance of the patient and family perspective in health and healthcare. Health professionals who hear their story will be challenged to consider patient-centered care in a new light and the importance of expanding the role of health provider to include supporting caregivers thrust into the role of advocating for their loved ones.“
Leanne Loranger, Physiotherapy Alberta – College + Association