Under the Umbrella: Raindancer Julia

Meet Julia, a SJGF Raindancer since 2015—shared in her mom Missy’s words.

Julia’s world is made up of her mom Missy, dad Joe, and dog Rerun!

What makes Julia, Julia?

Julia is such a beautiful, bold, brilliant, bright light.

As a brain cancer survivor, Julia faces physical challenges—but she continues to thrive in spite of them. “She is strong beyond measure, has a way with words, and is incredibly outspoken.”

And through it all, one thing shines brightest—her heart.

“She’s a fighter, with a heart of gold.”

Words that describe Julia

Bold.

Beautiful.

Brilliant.

Clever.

Courageous.

Compassionate.

And incredibly strong!

How does Julia inspire and make you proud?

"Whenever she smiles and is happy, I’m proud.” But what inspires them most is Julia’s compassion for others-

She’s the first in our family to want to help when anyone has even the slightest sniffle or pain. She’s a nurturer.

How does Julia bring you joy?

“She makes us laugh and reminds us that our GOD is a healer. Her compassion warms our heart daily.”

What brings Julia joy?

Art.

Storytelling.

Music.

And dogs!

Julia is clever, sweet, kind, caring, creative, and endlessly thoughtful. A few years ago, Julia was being interviewed by another organization and proudly said: “I am a Raindancer! I have learned, you have to dance in the rain until you find your pot of gold!”

The Two-Sided Coin

Life under the umbrella often holds two realities at once—the hard and the beautiful, existing side by side. Two sides of the same coin.

The Hard

When asked what some of her biggest challenges were, Julia said, “Not being able to balance and getting tired all the time, not having a good sense of direction and not being able to remember things.”

And from her mom: “Seeing people underestimate our Supergirl because she is differently abled. It is also so hard to see her sad and unsure of herself."

BUT YET....The Beautiful

The beautiful moments are found in who Julia is at her core!

“When I’m watching her talk about things she is passionate about and seeing her excited about the future.”

Because when Julia talks about what she loves—her light fills the room.

How Julia Has Changed Their Family

“In every way. She did that from the moment she was born. She’s our rock and reason and always will be.”

And maybe that’s the two-sided coin of loving someone so deeply—Seeing the hard. But never losing sight of the beautiful.

Lessons from Under the Umbrella

What Others May Not Understand

“That we are no different than any other family. Our children are no different either. We all have challenges…ours are just more pronounced.”

More than anything, Julia’s family wants the world to interact with and love children with special needs the same way they would any other child—with kindness, inclusion, and without hesitation.

What Support Can Look Like

Right now, support for Julia looks like community.

“She has invisible physical and socio-emotional challenges that prevent her from pursuing job opportunities…”

For someone like Julia, opportunities to volunteer, develop hobbies, and build friendships can make all the difference.

Because every person deserves purpose. Every person deserves connection. And every person deserves to be seen for all they can do. And Julia can do so much.

Thank you for stepping under the umbrella and taking the time to get to know Julia. From under the umbrella, with love. 💛