MEET MITCHELL’S MOM
click Here to listen as Meg tells the story of Mitchell's House
Mitchell’s mom, Meg McElwain, was the first to notice the bruising on her newborn son’s small legs. At the time, she was at the top of her professional game as the owner of a successful marketing and public relations firm; she was the mother of two preschool boys; she was excited about life ahead.
Within 24 hours, Mitchell Bays Turner was diagnosed with a rare form of Infant Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). In an instant, Meg’s life changed forever.
Shortly after Mitchell was diagnosed, Meg began to chronicle her life as a Momcologist – a mother of a child with cancer. Through social media and The Charlotte Observer’s active online community for mothers, Meg shared candidly about her initial shock and the difficult – often personal – journey of his treatments, hospital stays and quality of life. Following Mitchell’s death, she wrote a heartfelt series – “Giving Mitchell Back”.
Today, Meg serves as a high-impact philanthropist and public speaker. Her experience losing Mitchell shaped her expertise in two life topics she believes we need to talk about more – loss and resilience. She knows personally hard times happen – and just as deeply life must go on.
She often speaks to clergy, medical, corporate and community groups about loss, resilience and ways to support a family in crisis. She is outspoken and authentic about the depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress she lives with following Mitchell’s long illness and death. Though the topic is a hard one, Meg presents it with a grace that inspires others.
Meg has been recognized twice as one of the 50 Most Influential Woman in Charlotte and has been named one of the six people who made Charlotte better by The Charlotte Observer. She accepted the Charlottean of the Year award for the work of Mitchell’s Fund. Meg is a graduate of Leadership Charlotte and a member of Myers Park United Methodist Church. Connect with her at meg@mitchellsfund.org