Life can change in an instant.

In this deeply moving episode of I Choose Happy, Marilyn sits down with Kristen Vargas, a wife, mother, former teacher, and septic shock survivor whose ordinary Friday morning became a fight for her life.

After a sudden infection progressed to septic shock - the most severe stage of sepsis - Kristen spent weeks in the ICU before ultimately undergoing the amputation of both hands and portions of both feet. But as extraordinary as her survival story is, this conversation is about so much more than what happened to her.

Together, Marilyn and Kristen explore what it means to rebuild a life that looks different than the one you planned. They talk candidly about faith, motherhood, grief, purpose, asking for help, and the daily choice to focus on what is still possible instead of what has been lost.

Having recently faced her own battle with severe sepsis, Marilyn also shares why Kristen's story resonated so deeply with her, and how both experiences reinforce the power of gratitude, resilience, and hope.

This is a conversation about surviving the unimaginable... and discovering that life can still be beautiful on the other side.
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Connect with Marilyn and be a part of the conversation in the I Choose Happy private Facebook group. This is your safe space to share and be inspired. Please join today by clicking here.
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Find out more about Marilyn at marilyngetasbyrne.com.
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I Choose Happy is made possible by The Comfy, a Shark Tank sensation whose wearable blankets make life happier. Find out for yourself with 20% off your first order with the code ichoosehappy at TheComfy.com.

This week, we're revisiting a conversation about what happens when survival becomes purpose—and how one life-changing diagnosis can shape the path forward.

At 13, Jonah Rosas was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Overnight, life shifted from water polo and middle school routines to chemotherapy, hospitals, and the relentless uncertainty of cancer.

In this episode of I Choose Happy, Jonah reflects on the resilience it took to keep moving forward, the humor and family support that carried him through, and the relief of finally being told he was “out of the woods.” Now, years later, he’s come full circle—pursuing a PhD in cancer research to help the very patients walking the path he once did.

This is a story about survival, perspective, and choosing to transform hardship into purpose.

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Connect with Marilyn and be a part of the conversation in the I Choose Happy private Facebook group. This is your safe space to share and be inspired. Please join today by clicking here.
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Find out more about Marilyn at marilyngetasbyrne.com.
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I Choose Happy is made possible by The Comfy, a Shark Tank sensation whose wearable blankets make life happier. Find out for yourself with 20% off your first order with the code ichoosehappy at TheComfy.com.

As beach days, pool parties, and summer adventures begin, we're revisiting this important I Choose Happy conversation with Marianne Banister, whose daughter Claire's story changed the way many families think about pediatric melanoma and the importance of early detection.

When her 14-year-old daughter Claire noticed a mole on her ankle changing, Marianne Banister never imagined it would be the start of a fight for her daughter’s life. Despite careful screenings, sunscreen, and doing “all the right things,” Claire was diagnosed with adolescent melanoma — an aggressive cancer most families don’t even know children can get. By 17, Claire was gone. In this episode, Marianne shares the heartbreak of losing her daughter, the lessons she learned along the way, and how she and her family turned grief into purpose through the Claire Marie Foundation. A conversation about loss, advocacy, and the power of love that never leaves.
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Connect with Marilyn and be a part of the conversation in the I Choose Happy private Facebook group. This is your safe space to share and be inspired. Please join today by clicking here.
------
Find out more about Marilyn at marilyngetasbyrne.com.
------
I Choose Happy is made possible by The Comfy, a Shark Tank sensation whose wearable blankets make life happier. Find out for yourself with 20% off your first order with the code ichoosehappy at TheComfy.com.