At twenty-two, Jennifer
Cramer-Miller was thrilled with her new job, charming boyfriend, and Seattle apartment.
After she received a devastating autoimmune diagnosis, she soaked a hospital
pillow with tears and grappled with words like “progressive” and “incurable.”
Unwillingly, she crossed over
from thriving to kidney failure. Her chances of survival hinged upon the
expertise of doctors, the generosity of strangers, and the benevolence of loved
ones.
But what kind of life would that be?
Jennifer Cramer-Miller is an author and speaker who focuses on stories of hope. Her new memoir, Incurable Optimist: Living with Illness and Chronic Hope, received an International Impact Book Award, a Book of Excellence Award, and a starred review from Publishers Weekly. She serves as the Board Chair for the Minnesota National Kidney Foundation (NKF), an NKF PEER Mentor, and a Donate Life ambassador. As a patient advocate, she helps others manage uncertainty, move forward with hope, and find some joy.
Everybody has something to deal with and uncertainty does not discriminate. Usually, Jennifer is the only person in the room who has had four kidney transplants but not the only one who has suffered trauma.
Jennifer's interview will equip you with skills to deal with trauma on any level.
Spanning two-plus decades, this family love story explores loss and acceptance, moving forward with uncertainty, and forging a path to joy. Four kidney transplants later, Cramer-Miller is here to shine a bright light on people helping people in difficult times with a story that will make you want to hug the humans you love. Because sometimes it’s the sorrows that threaten to pull us apart that ultimately unite us in hope.
Incurable Optimist
Fill these pages with your joys, sorrows, snippets, songs, the trivial, the tremendous, anything, and everything. Sure, we all have bummers, but I believe (even on lousy days) we can find one lovely thing. And seeking loveliness helps lift us as we muddle through.
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