Elizabeth Bartholomew joins us on the podcast.
Liz worked as a police records clerk in Batavia Illinois where she met Joe Bartholomew, a paid on-call firefighter, they married in 1980. Joe was hired as a full time Firefighter in 1986. While their daughters were young Liz was able to be a stay at home mom. Later she drove a school bus part-time in Naperville, Illinois, became Band Booster President and was on the coaching staff at East Aurora High School. In 2005 Joe was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder from a response call, he later retired on a duty disability pension after 33 years as a firefighter. Seeing the reaction in the workplace to his PTSD diagnosis and watching him learn to live with PTSD she came up with the concept of Responders Retreat as a place to open a conversation and know that you are not alone.
What is H.O.P.E Beyond The Badge?
A Podcast that brings Awareness, Inspiration, and Conversation together for First Responders, Families, and others interested in Mental Well-Being in First Response.