{"podcast":{"title":"The Rare Life","slug":"the-rare-life-1239619","podcast_index_feed_id":1239619,"rss_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/22c0499c/podcast/rss","website_url":"https://therarelife.org","image_url":"https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_nologo/5730271/7551fc611b293c10.jpeg","author":"Madeline Cheney","episode_count":305,"summary":"This is the real, raw, and all the feels of loving a child with disabilities. Episodes feature parent-guests, professionals, and solo episodes with host Madeline Cheney. Their authentic conversations don’t shy away from the strong and mixed emotions that often accompany medically-complex parenting. Parents listen in to feel seen, validated, and receive much-needed solidarity. Professionals working with disabled people listen in to better understand what is often going on under the surface for a family living with disabilities.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-10T02:17:02.683032+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-rare-life-1239619"},"episode":{"title":"209: Kenya’s Story | When Lightning Strikes Twice + Trusting Your Instincts","slug":"209-kenya-s-story-when-lightning-strikes-twice-trusting-your-instincts","published_at":"2026-01-15T13:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-rare-life-1239619/209-kenya-s-story-when-lightning-strikes-twice-trusting-your-instincts","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-rare-life-1239619","url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-rare-life/episodes/209-Kenyas-Story--When-Lightning-Strikes-Twice--Trusting-Your-Instincts-e3dlqbu","audio_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/22c0499c/podcast/play/114009918/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-0-14%2F4e782d65-ef25-32b4-fac2-5a069c7c29e0.mp3","summary":"When Kenya’s daughter was six, her body began changing in ways that felt impossible to ignore, even as doctors insisted it was normal. What followed was a long stretch of doubt, dismissal, and self-questioning, until Kenya finally found a specialist who confirmed what she had known all along: her daughter was experiencing precocious puberty. In this episode, Kenya shares what it was like to fight for answers, navigate bias in pediatric care, and hold space for a child whose body and emotions were changing before she was ready. She also talks about the shock of facing the same diagnosis again with her second daughter, and how experience can simultaneously make you feel more prepared while still reopening old grief. If you’ve ever had to trust your instincts and fight for a diagnosis your child needed, this conversation will hit close to home. Links: Join The Rare Life newsletter and never miss an update! Fill out our contact form to join upcoming discussion groups! Follow us on Instagram @the_rare_life ! Donate to the podcast or Contact me about sponsoring an episode. Follow the Facebook page . Join the Facebook group Parents of Children with Rare Conditions . And if you love this podcast, please leave usa rating or review in your favorite podcast app","meta_description":"When Kenya’s daughter was six, her body began changing in ways that felt impossible to ignore, even as doctors insisted it was normal. What followed was a…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2799,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-rare-life-1239619/episodes/209-kenya-s-story-when-lightning-strikes-twice-trusting-your-instincts/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-rare-life-1239619/209-kenya-s-story-when-lightning-strikes-twice-trusting-your-instincts.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}