Event

A Lifetime of Moments: Building Memories and Living your Child's Legacy Together

September 22, 2025 at 8:00 PM ET

Time together making memories as a family may feel especially precious when the child is living with a life-threatening medical condition. Making memories and sharing experiences that become part of the child’s legacy and the family’s treasure box can take many forms and can happen anytime: special occasions or a typical weekday.

There is meaning and legacy in experiences together; there is meaning and legacy in the concrete items that emerge from these experiences, such as photos, art, handprints, music.

Join researcher and Child-Life Specialist Dr. Jessica Boles and Soulumination’s McKenzie Johnson to learn about processes of making memories and building legacy that endure in your home and your heart.

This event will take place on Monday, September 22^nd at 8:00 pm ET (7:00 pm CT, 6:00 pm MT, 5:00 pm PT).

Our Panel

Jessika Boles, PhD, CCLS

Jessika is an Assistant Professor of Practice in Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and a Certified Child Life Specialist at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital Vanderbilt. Jessika leads the Children’s Healthcare, Illness, Legacy, and Loss (CHILL) Lab at Vanderbilt and is the Executive Director of the Child Life Academic Society. She has spent more than fifteen years supporting children with chronic and complex medical needs and their families in and outside of the hospital setting, and is passionate about helping families grow and cope together.

McKenzie Johnson, Executive Director

McKenzie comes from a professional fundraising and business management background. She has been a caretaker for her mother through cancer treatments, loves her nephews, and spends her free time climbing mountains.

Kaitin Kelly Benedict

Kaitin Kelly Benedict is a former professional dancer who now only does pliés in her basement. She believes strongly in the health benefits of movement and creativity and has taught wellness classes for artists in the community, public schools, and at the university level. After the traumatic birth of her second son in 2017, her days were spent running an ICU out of her home and running to medical appointments. Since his death, she has redirected her focus toward embarking on a master’s in social work at Boston University. She is also involved with the University of Minnesota Simulation Center’s pediatric end of life care skills workshops to help healthcare professionals improve conversations with families. Kaitin has always loved writing and particularly loves writing about her son Roman. Along with her recent CPN blog post, she is published in Months to Years literary journal.