Hydrocephalus Podcasts

Hydro Heroes Unite

We’re excited to provide the hydrocephalus community with the Hydro Heroes Unite podcast!

Created especially for the hydrocephalus community, this podcast is a space for learning, connection, and inspiration. We’re grateful to collaborate with actor and podcaster Taisha Cameron, whose insight and heart helped bring this vision to life.

Season One dives into the world of pediatric hydrocephalus, highlighting stories, expert perspectives, and resources that matter most to families and caregivers. Each episode is designed to spark understanding, provide hope, and remind you that you’re not alone on this journey.

We’re already looking ahead to future seasons that will explore other important stages and perspectives in the hydrocephalus journey. Stay tuned, listen in, and join us as Hydro Heroes Unite!

Hydro Heroes Unite Podcast: Trailer

Welcome to Hydro Heroes Unite, a new bi-weekly podcast created for parents and caregivers raising children with hydrocephalus.

In this first season, host Taisha Cameron—a fellow Hydro Hero mom—joins forces with the Hydrocephalus Association (HA) to shine a light on the pediatric hydrocephalus journey.

Hydro Heroes Unite Podcast: Episode 1

In this first episode of Hydro Heroes Unite, Taisha Cameron sits down with Miya — a mother of three whose youngest daughter Mila lives with hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy. Miya opens up about navigating a four-month NICU stay with newborn twins during the pandemic, while also parenting a toddler at home.

We explore what survival mode really looks like, what comes after crisis, and how Miya stays grounded in the long game of raising a child with special medical needs. This conversation is raw, real, and incredibly powerful.

  • NICU life with preemie twins
  • Balancing home and hospital during COVID
  • Processing trauma after survival
  • Self-care, grief, and advocacy
  • The strength of doing “just one day” at a time

Hydro Heroes Unite Podcast: Episode 2


In this episode of Hydro Heroes Unite, we head into the NICU with neonatologist and HA Medical Advisory Board Member, Dr. Hallie Morris, who brings both her medical expertise and deep compassion to the conversation.

We explore what it really means when a baby is admitted to the NICU - and how, in many ways, the whole family is admitted too. Dr. Morris shares how hydrocephalus is often diagnosed in newborns, how care teams come together, and why supporting caregivers is just as important as supporting the patient.

From managing expectations and grieving what you hoped for, to embracing optimism in the unknown, Dr. Morris gives us a clear and heartfelt look into NICU life and the quiet hope it holds.

Whether you’re a parent in the NICU now or someone wanting to better understand this part of the journey, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and community.

Hydro Heroes Unite Podcast: Episode 3

Crystal’s story is one of resilience, faith, and hope. After her daughter Natalie was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, additional challenges followed: cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism. In this episode, Crystal opens up about walking through the valley of the shadow of death, leaning on her faith, and finding strength as a parent in the most difficult circumstances. We discuss how she and her family faced the fear of having another child, the importance of hope, and what it means to step back and allow our children to struggle in order to discover what they are truly capable of.

Hydro Heroes Unite Podcast: Episode 4

What is hydrocephalus? How is it most commonly treated? And what should families know about living with this complex neurological condition? In this episode, we’ll hear from Dr. Ramin Eskandari, a leading neurosurgeon, about the realities of hydrocephalus care.

Whether you’re newly diagnosed, a longtime caregiver, or simply looking to better understand hydrocephalus, this episode offers clarity, guidance, and hope from one of the field’s most experienced voices.

  • What hydrocephalus is and how it affects patients
  • The most common treatment options, including shunts and ETV
  • Warning signs of shunt malfunctions
  • New research and advances in treatment
  • The debate on activity restrictions for patients with hydrocephalus
  • Developmental, psychological, and psychiatric concerns for patients and caregivers
  • Why improving the quality of life matters just as much as the quantity of life

Resources:

Hydro Heroes Unite Podcast: Episode 5

What every parent needs to know about helping kids with hydrocephalus thrive at home and school. Today’s conversation with neuropsychologist Dr. Jennifer Queally explores the impact of hydrocephalus on learning and development, how parents and schools can collaborate, and the challenges children face in self-advocacy. The conversation also dives into practical strategies for supporting independence, preparing for adulthood, and balancing the realities of parenting a child with a medical condition.

Whether you’re new to this journey or years along, you’ll find encouragement, insights, and hope in this discussion.

Resources:

Hydro Heroes Unite Podcast: Episode 6

In this heartfelt and often funny episode of Hydro Heroes Unite, I sit down with Melissa, a fellow NICU mom and twin mom, whose daughter Abagail lives with hydrocephalus, hemiplegia, cortical visual impairment, and epilepsy.

Melissa shares her heart and her humor as she reflects on their family’s journey — from the early NICU days to navigating the complexities of hydrocephalus, including challenges many parents don’t expect.

We talk about the power of trusting your instincts as a parent, finding silver linings even in tough times, and the huge difference it makes when doctors show humility, empathy, and true partnership.

Melissa has been a long-time advocate for the hydrocephalus community, serving for eight years as co-chair of the National Capital WALK to End Hydrocephalus and continuing to champion disability rights and inclusion.

Whether you’re a newly diagnosed family or years into this journey, this conversation is a reminder that you’re not alone — and that there’s strength in community, advocacy, and a little bit of humor along the way.

Resources:

Hydro Heroes Unite Podcast: Episode 7

Today I’ll share parts of my conversation with Dr. Elizabeth McRae, a pediatric psychologist at the University of Alabama, to talk about empowering children with complex medical conditions and supporting the families who care for them.

We explore:

  • The difference between pediatric psychologists and neuropsychologists
  • How parents can help kids learn to advocate for themselves
  • The RAISE program, which helps caregivers build resilience and find balance
  • Why self-care and mental health are essential for families raising medically complex kids

Resources

Hydro Heroes Unite Podcast: Episode 8

In this final episode of Season One, I bring it home (literally) and share parts of my conversation with my husband Scott as he opens up about his perspective through Angelica’s hydrocephalus and Dandy-Walker diagnosis.

Scott opens up about:

  • The shock of receiving a diagnosis during pregnancy
  • Navigating NICU life, Hurricane Maria and unexpected PICU transfers
  • Finding humor in hard places
  • Advocating as a caregiver and trusting your gut (and your partners)
  • How resilience forms slowly, moment by moment

This episode is funny, heartfelt, and deeply hopeful. Sometimes, the most powerful form of resilience is learning to smile, laugh, and eventually dance in the rain.

It's a tribute to caregivers, partners, and every family who has ever weathered a storm together.

If this season moved you, please share the episode or leave a review to help more hydro families feel seen and supported.

Resources

Created in partnership with actor and podcaster Taisha Cameron.

Follow on Instagram: @taishaycameron, @hydroassoc

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