In this powerful episode of I AM Conversations, Erin Langs — cancer survivor, mom, and founder of Cares Advocacy — shares how stage 4 colon cancer and her sons’ mental health struggles transformed her life’s purpose. She opens up about parenting through trauma, youth anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts, and why caregivers and families need just as much support as patients.

Erin explains how her lived experience led her to create inclusive mental health curriculum for schools and workplaces, addressing neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ youth, stigma, and the gaps in current systems. She also offers practical guidance on how to recognize when a challenge becomes a crisis, how to talk to kids about “I don’t want to be here anymore,” and why early education can literally save lives.

Content note: This episode inclu ...