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!

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.

👉 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

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 info@phoenix-society.org.

It’s Fire Prevention Week! This year’s campaign, Charge into Fire Safety™: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home, raises awareness about safe use, storage, and disposal of the batteries powering our everyday devices. 🔥

Joining us is Brandon Ingram, a seasoned fire protection engineer with Summit Fire Consulting. With 14+ years of experience spanning fire modeling, code consulting, sprinkler design, and combustible dust hazards, Brandon brings expert insight into keeping your home and family safe.

In this episode, powered by Summit Fire Consulting, we break down the dangers of thermal runaway: when a lithium-ion battery overheats, vents gas, and ignites. Learn the key causes, how to prevent risks, safe storage and disposal practices, and why choosing cheaper electronics could actually increase fire hazards! 🔋

#BurnSurvivor #GirlsWithGrafts #Podcast #SurvivorPodcast #BurnSurvivorStories #FirePreventionWeek #FirePrevention #FireSafety

⭐️ 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!

Brandon Ingram is a fire protection engineer with Summit Fire Consulting. He studied Mechanical Engineering and Fire Protection Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland. He has over 14 years of experience in the fire protection industry including fire modeling, code consulting, fire/explosion investigation, sprinkler systems, and combustible dust hazards. He currently lives in Washington, DC.

• Learn more about Fire Prevention Week: https://www.nfpa.org/fpw
• Learn more and contact Summit Fire Consulting: https://summitfireconsulting.com
• Read Corey Kingsman’s “Staying Safe with Lithium‑Ion Batteries in Our Homes” article: https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/staying-safe-with-lithium-ion-batteries-in-our-homes
• Learn more about lithium-ion batteries: https://www.nfpa.org/lithiumion

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. Learn more here: https://summitfireconsulting.com.

Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at info@phoenix-society.org.

In this heartfelt episode of Girls with Grafts, Rachel is joined by author and advocate Jenny Brandemuehl and Phoenix Society's Senior Director of Programs and Services, Jill Sproul. Jenny shares her deeply personal journey of love, loss, and resilience after the tragic plane crash and burn injury that claimed her husband Mark's life. 💛 Together, they explore the moments that reshaped Jenny's path, her upcoming memoir Forever Fly Free, and how she continues to find healing and purpose. Jill offers insight from her decades in burn care, sharing guidance for both survivors and the professionals who support them.

This episode is a moving reminder of the strength found in community, the courage to tell your story, and the power of hope in the face of life's most difficult chapters.

📚 Get Jenny's book, Forever Fly Free, at: foreverflyfree.com/category/all-products.

Use code "PSBS" for 10% off orders placed before October 14, 2025, with the link above.

#BurnSurvivor #GirlsWithGrafts #Podcast #SurvivorPodcast #BurnSurvivorStories #Author #ForeverFlyFree

⭐️ 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!

Jenny Brandemuehl is the author of Forever Fly Free: One Woman’s Story of Resilience and the Power of Hope and Love, coming October 2025 from Regalo Press. She’s an advocate for families who have lost a loved one to traumatic accidents and speaks widely on personal resilience, grief, and healing. She’ll be a featured speaker at the 2025 Phoenix World Burn Congress (WBC) hosted by Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors.

Jenny describes herself as an “ordinary person who had an extraordinary experience.” After the sudden death of her husband Mark following a small engine plane crash and severe burn injuries, she found herself transformed by the compassion of the burn care team and the unexpected power of hope. Her journey through loss and healing has led her into a new chapter as a writer and speaker, with a mission to inspire others to access their own inner strength and wisdom.

Before becoming an author, Jenny spent decades as a corporate leader, most recently as Chief People Officer at Chegg, Inc., where her team helped earn the company a spot on Fortune’s Top 100 Best Places to Work. She’s held leadership roles at JDS Uniphase, Gap Inc., and Hewlett Packard, and served on the Wellesley College Business Leadership Board and the board of Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment (WISE), which empowers low-income women to become entrepreneurs.

Jenny is an avid skier, hiker, and tree-hugger. She lives with her partner Robert, who keeps her laughing daily, and adores her two sons, who share her love of travel, food, and music.

👉 Get Jenny’s book, Forever Fly Free, at: https://www.foreverflyfree.com/category/all-products **Use code “PSBS” for 10% off for orders placed before October 14, 2025, with the link above**

👉 Order Jenny’s book from Amazon: https://a.co/d/iW9Db3C

👉 Order Jenny’s book from Target: https://www.target.com/p/forever-fly-free-by-jenny-brandemuehl-hardcover/-/A-1003087061#lnk=sametab

👉 Order Jenny’s book from Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-fly-free-jenny-brandemuehl/1147370213?ean=9798895650301

👉 Follow Jenny’s Substack: https://jennybrandemuehl.substack.com

👉 Learn more and register for Phoenix World Burn Congress 2025: https://events.phoenix-society.org/event/PWBC2025/summary

Today’s podcast is powered by the Bert Martin Foundation! The Bert Martin Foundation was established to assist those who help others and provide financial support for nonprofit organizations. We’re honored to have the Bert Martin Foundation as a long-standing Phoenix Society Partner.

Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at info@phoenix-society.org.