Heather Madsen, writer, and inspirational speaker, wrote this prose titled "Recess." Heather was born with multiple physical disabilities and was later diagnosed with autism in her late 20s. She has positively influenced thousands of people's lives. Read more of Heather's writings at https://debbiejorde.com/category/heathers-blog/
Learn more about our family on Debbie Jorde YouTube channel, where you will find videos of talks about accepting and overcoming challenges we’ve given to the general public, medical students, caseworkers at government offices, medical personnel, caregivers, and others. You will find other videos as well, such as a new Mom and Son Vlog, news stories about their family, slide shows of Logan’s art, slideshows of photos of Heather and Logan from childhood to adulthood, and more. Debbie Jorde YouTube Channel Link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZQKyqJ4qqOXtUhEfkTmxjQ
Visit Debbie Jorde's website for personal stories and tips on how to overcome challenges: https://www.debbiejorde.com/
Visit Logan Madsen's website for more information about Logan and to view and purchase his paints, prints, and greeting cards: https://www.loganmadsenfineart.com/
Watch the award-winning documentary LOGAN'S SYNDROME on Amazon and other streaming sites: Amazon link: https://amzn.to/2TDguhx
Debbie Jorde’s memoir, EIGHT FINGERS AND EIGHT TOES: ACCEPTING LIFE’S CHALLENGES, is available on Amazon. Learn more and find a link to the paperback, ebook, and audible book on Amazon: https://www.debbiejorde.com/eight-fingers-eight-toes/
Every year, for the past 30 years, Debbie, Heather, and Logan speak to the first-year medical students in their human genetics course in Dr. Lynn Jorde's course. They talk about living with rare Miller syndrome, a rare lung disease called primary ciliary dyskinesia, PCD, and autism. Debbie shares what their births were like when they were born in 1977 and 1980 before good scans were available to warn her about their disabilities.
Debbie Jorde is married to Dr. Lynn B. Jorde, Chairman of the Human Genetics Department at the University of Utah. Dr. Jorde describes Miller Syndrome at this link: https://youtu.be/eOkZI34tjZ8
Debbie Shares the Births of Her 2 Babies with 2 Rare Disabilities in Dr. Lynn Jorde's Genetics. Debbie Jorde https://youtu.be/7OOz5kAiSFk
Living with 2 Rare Syndromes & Autism, Logan Madsen, Artist, Speaks in Dr. Lynn Jorde's Genetics https://youtu.be/QycYB-gKW3c
Living with 2 Rare Syndromes & Autism, Heather Madsen, Writer, Speaks in Dr. Lynn Jorde's Genetics https://youtu.be/oEdXSUyzua8
Debbie, Heather, and Logan speak publically about accepting and overcoming challenges and how they do it, day to day. Watch their talks on Debbie Jorde's YouTube playlist, accepting and Overcoming Challenges: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA478A1293BFA02D9
Debbie's family became the first family ever to have their entire DNA sequenced and the first family documented to have two children born with Miller syndrome, which affects only 30 people worldwide.
KSL News reporter, John Daley, interviewed Dr. Lynn Jorde, Chairman of the Human Genetics Department at the University of Utah School of Medicine and President of the American Society of Human Genetics for 2011 about sequencing the entire genome of his wife, Debbie Jorde, and her children, Heather and Logan Madsen.
Scientists found the gene that causes Miller syndrome and also the gene that causes Heather and Logan's lung disease, Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) answering their 33-year-old question, "Why did this happen?" Heather is a writer. Some of her writings are published in "Eight Fingers and Eight Toes." Logan Madsen is an artist.
Sadly, Heather Madsen, writer, and public speaker passed away from advanced endometrial cancer on July 23, 2021. Although Heather won’t be with us physically to record our vlog videos, she is always in our hearts and we will share stories, writings, and experiences with and about Heather. You can watch the celebration of Heather’s life on Debbie Jorde's YouTube: https://youtu.be/xUWNQCD8HyM
We are all overcoming challenges together! We are overcomers!
