A Mother’s Love Can Change the World – Heather McCarthy 

Heather McCarthy on Motherhood, Literacy, Compassion, and Raising a Generation That Believes It Can Change the World

Interview by Stella Olivia Kikoyo

Some women leave impressions.
Others leave legacies.

Heather McCarthy is building one library, one child, and one act of compassion at a time.

An award-winning author, educator, librarian, humanitarian, literacy advocate, wife, and mother, Heather’s work stretches from classrooms in Illinois to villages in Zimbabwe -inspiring children to understand that age does not limit impact and that compassion is one of humanity’s greatest forms of leadership.

Yet beyond the accolades and global initiatives is a woman deeply rooted in motherhood, emotional presence, resilience, and service.

In this heartfelt Mother’s Day conversation with Stella Olivia Kikoyo for Stella Woman Magazine, Heather reflects on raising children with rare medical conditions, the beauty of community, empowering young people through literacy, and why every child deserves to believe their voice matters.

Motherhood often reshapes who we are. How has becoming a mother influenced the woman you are today, both personally and professionally?

Becoming a mother completely changed my life in all good ways.

Being a mother has made me stronger. It has made me more empathetic. It shifted my priorities and made me more intentional in what I do, both personally and professionally.

It strengthened my purpose and gave me a better direction for how I want to help the next generation and make the world a better place not just for my children, but for everybody else too.

Do you remember a particular moment that shaped you as a mother?

I think it starts from the moment you find out you’re pregnant and realise you’re bringing life into the world. Then there’s the day you actually hold your child for the first time.

But honestly, I feel every moment shapes you as a mother.

It’s all the small moments that build up over time that strengthen you, shift your perspective, and shape who you become.

And that first moment holding your baby – it’s indescribable. You’ve been waiting for it, hoping for it, praying for it. Then suddenly you’re holding this life you brought into the world.

There really aren’t words for it.

“It’s all the small moments that build up over time that strengthen you, shift your perspective, and shape who you become.”

You are raising two children, Maya and CJ, both living with significant health challenges. Tell us about that journey.

Both Maya and Christian – we call him CJ were born with a rare metabolic condition called propionic acidemia. It’s a genetic condition with no cure, and it means their bodies can’t process protein properly. Certain amino acids are toxic to them, so they have to follow a very restrictive diet. They can’t eat meat, and their protein intake has to be carefully monitored.

There are medications, vitamins, frequent doctor visits, blood draws, heart tests, genetic specialists, dietitians, counsellors – it’s a lot.

And because their immune systems are compromised, illnesses can become more serious very quickly.

What has this journey taught you about strength?

I’ve learned that strength is not about being fearless.

People think strong people aren’t afraid, but the truth is, life is scary sometimes. Raising children with medical conditions is scary.

You can feel fear and still be strong.

And love fuels everything. Love fuels the perseverance, the resilience, and the determination to keep going.

I really believe love is the answer to everything.

“You can feel fear and still be strong.”

Were there moments when you felt overwhelmed?

Absolutely.

But what helps me rise above those moments is perspective.

Medical research has advanced so much, and there’s always hope in what’s to come. I also try very intentionally to shift my mindset whenever things feel overwhelming.

Instead of asking, “Why is this happening?” I try to ask, “How can I look at this differently?” or “What positives can I draw from this situation?”

Because if you dwell only on the negative and the “what ifs,” your mind stays there.

But if you intentionally shift your perspective, it recalibrates your brain to find hope.

How do your children respond to all of this?

Honestly? They’re so much better at it than I am.

As a mom, I worry about everything. I want to protect them from everything.

But they’re like, “Mom, we got this.”

They’re incredibly resilient.

Food is a huge part of social life, and because of their condition, there are things they can’t eat. I would get nervous before parties thinking, “What are you going to say if everyone’s eating pizza?”

And they would say, “We’ll just tell them we can’t eat the pizza.”

To them, it’s simple.

This is the life they’ve always known.

And while it’s incredibly rare that both of them have the same condition, there’s also something beautiful in that, they understand each other deeply and support one another.

They’re rock stars.

“They’re rock stars.”

What does being present as a mother mean to you?

Being present means more than physically showing up, although that matters deeply too.

I want to be there physically for my children at every important moment in their lives. But emotional presence is just as important.

That means putting away distractions. No phone. No television. Fully being there.

One of the greatest things my daughter and I started doing is having lunch together every Sunday. We go to our favourite restaurants and just talk about life.

She tells me everything happening at school, everything going on in her world, and I cherish those moments.

I don’t know how long she’ll still want to go to lunch with her mom every Sunday, but I’ll go every Sunday for the rest of my life if she’ll let me.

That’s beautiful. Someone once said they give their children “time wealth,” and that stayed with me.

A lot of people say, “I don’t have time,” but what is your time worth and who are you giving it to?

Giving children your time tells them: “You are worthy.”

You are worthy of my time, my presence, and my attention.

And I want my children to always know how important they are to me.

“Giving children your time tells them: you are worthy.”

Your children were not expected to live long, yet today they are thriving. What has that taught you about hope and possibility?

When you first receive a diagnosis like that, it changes everything.

Every parent says, “I just want my child to be healthy.” Then suddenly you’re told your child has a serious medical condition.

But medicine and science continue to evolve, and there’s always hope.

And honestly, my children themselves have taught me the most.

CJ is one of the most empathetic human beings you will ever meet. If he sees an injured animal or a lost dog sign, it deeply affects him. He wants to help everyone and everything.

 Maya is brilliant – an incredible public speaker, writer, reader, and leader. She’s deeply inclusive and always stands up for others.

They bring out the best in people.

They’ve taught me joy, laughter, empathy, and how to look at life through a lens of love.

Looking at the world through their eyes —-full of joy, love, and laughter — is wonderful.

“Looking at the world through their eyes — full of joy, love, and laughter — is wonderful.”

Heather, your children have clearly shaped your perspective on life in profound ways. Beyond joy and presence, what else have they taught you?

They’ve taught me to celebrate every moment.

We often think celebrations need to be reserved for major milestones, but children have a beautiful way of reminding us that joy lives in the smallest things.

When my daughter Maya was younger, she went through a phase where every one of her baby dolls somehow had a birthday — every single day.

And I remember saying,
“We cannot keep throwing birthday parties every day!”

But she looked at me and said,
“Mom, we have to celebrate.”

And eventually, I stopped and thought – why not?

Why not celebrate the little moments? Why not celebrate the things that bring love, laughter, joy, and togetherness into our lives?

That simple moment completely shifted my perspective.

Now I realise that life doesn’t always need grand occasions to be meaningful. Sometimes the smallest moments become the most beautiful memories.

“Children remind us that joy itself is worth celebrating.”

What advice would you give mothers navigating difficult medical journeys with their children?

I want every family to know this: you are never alone.

Our children’s condition is extremely rare, but struggle itself is universal. There are always people capable of empathy, support, and understanding.

One of the most important things is finding your community.

Mothers especially often feel pressure to carry everything alone. We think asking for help means weakness.

But it doesn’t.

It’s okay to say:
“I need support.”
“I’m overwhelmed.”
“I need help.”

And once you allow people to support you, it becomes such a relief.

Nobody is truly alone. And the more we support each other, the stronger everyone becomes.

“It’s okay to ask for help. Nobody is truly alone.”

One of the most inspiring aspects of your story is the literacy initiative your students led to help build a library in Zimbabwe. Tell us about the 6K Walk for Literacy.

The students organised it entirely themselves.

These are middle schoolers – 11, 12, and 13 years old. They wanted to do something meaningful.

People know about 5Ks and 10Ks, but the students intentionally created a 6K Walk for Literacy because six kilometres represents the average distance some girls in Africa walk daily to collect water or get to school.

So students, families, alumni, staff, and the local community all came together to raise money to help build a library at Musukwi Primary School in Zimbabwe in partnership with Tererai Trent and the Tinogona Foundation team.

What moved me most was seeing how invested the entire community became.

People from a suburb outside Chicago genuinely cared about children halfway around the world they may never meet.

People kept approaching us asking:
“Is this the library project everyone’s talking about?”
“How can we help?”
“How do we get involved?”

It reminded me there is still so much love and compassion in the world.

“There is still so much love and compassion in the world.”

What has been the most emotional moment for you during this journey?

Watching the library rise brick by brick.

Every fundraising milestone became another construction update:
The walls are up.
The windows are installed.
The roof is going on.

And every time I shared those updates with the students, I would tell them:
“We’re doing it. We’re really building the library.”

Now the books are being installed, and in June I’ll get to attend the grand opening and see the children inside the library.

I cannot wait to bring those photos and videos back to my students and show them:
“Look what you created.”

“We’re not building one library anymore. We’re building a movement.”

How important is it for children to participate in humanitarian work like this?

It’s incredibly important.

I don’t want my children simply watching me help others, I want them participating beside me.

Whether it’s literacy walks, meal-packing events, or community volunteering, my children are there helping.

I want them to grow up understanding they have the power to impact the world too.

You work with children at home, in middle school, and globally through your humanitarian work. What inspires you most about children?

I absolutely love middle schoolers.

They’re brutally honest and honestly, I find that incredibly refreshing.

I work with sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, so we’re talking about 11 to 13-year-olds, an age filled with curiosity, discovery, and possibility.

What inspires me most about them is their willingness to take risks.

As adults, we become cautious.
We become afraid:
Afraid to fail.
Afraid to disappoint people.
Afraid to make mistakes.

But children don’t think that way.

They simply say:
“Let’s try it.”
“And if it doesn’t work, we’ll figure it out.”

There’s something incredibly powerful about that mindset.

In our library, we also have a makerspace focused on STEM, engineering, 3D printing, creativity, and innovation. It’s a space built around experimentation, problem-solving, and learning through trial and error — and the students collaborate beautifully within it.

They remind me that growth doesn’t come from always getting things right. It comes from being willing to try.

There is so much adults can learn from children.

Children are naturally open to possibility. They’re willing to take on challenges, explore the unknown, and simply see what happens — and I think there’s something deeply inspiring about that.

“Adults become afraid of failure. Children remain curious.”

If your children were asked to describe you as a mother, what do you think they would say?

That’s a dangerous question because they inherited their father’s humour and my sarcasm.

But I hope they would say:

“Mom cares.”

That I care about family.
I care about helping people.
I care about my students.
I care about community.

I hope they see compassion in the way I live.

Because if there’s one thing I want my children to carry forward into the world, it’s love, empathy, and helping others.

What does motherhood mean to you?

Motherhood is my greatest blessing.

I feel incredibly honoured that God entrusted me with Maya and Christian.

But motherhood also extends beyond biology.

Sometimes motherhood means nurturing the 1,100 middle schoolers running around the school too.

Children often see teachers as mother figures, mentors, protectors, and safe spaces.

So motherhood, to me, is really about nurturing others with compassion and care — whether they are biologically yours or not.

“Motherhood is really about nurturing others with compassion and care.”

As we celebrate women globally, what message would you like to leave women around the world?

I want women everywhere to know this:

Your voice matters.

And you cannot allow yourself to be silenced.

People may try to minimise your opinions or make you doubt your value, but your voice matters. Your actions matter. Your presence matters.

You have power within you.

So use your voice.
Use your strength.
Use your womanhood.
And use it for good.

“Your voice matters. Your actions matter. Your presence matters.”

How can people support the incredible work you’re doing with libraries in Zimbabwe?

After seeing this first library come to life, we realised the work cannot stop here.

Every child deserves books.
Every child deserves literacy.
Every child deserves to see themselves represented through education.

So our goal now is to help build libraries for every school connected to Tererai Trent’s initiatives in Matau, Zimbabwe.

This first library showed us what is possible.

Now we’re seeing endless libraries.

No more borders.
Just extending love, compassion, and empathy to communities across the world.

We already have schools across the United States reaching out asking how their students can participate.

This is becoming bigger than one project.

It’s becoming a movement.

And we would love educators, schools, families, and communities to join us.

People can connect with me on LinkedIn under Heather Rush McCarthy, and we are also developing our Libraries for Zimbabwe platform so people can become directly involved.

Final Reflection

Heather, you are showing the world what it means to go first even through uncertainty.

You are showing us what motherhood can become when it is rooted in compassion, vision, courage, and belief.

This work is no longer simply about one library. It is about rewriting possibilities for children everywhere.

So on this Mother’s Day, we celebrate not only Heather, but all women around the world — women of vision, women of purpose, women carrying wealth not only financially, but through wisdom, compassion, resilience, and impact.

Keep inspired.
Keep evolving.
Keep thriving.
And continue elevating your life.

Until next time