Posts by: Colin Balfe

Colin Balfe is the Founder and Chief Content Officer of Love What Matters. Colin was inspired to start Love What Matters after his mother passed from Ovarian cancer. Through his grieving process, he saw the need to connect a like minded community around a deeply personal storytelling platform. He's proudest of the communities within LWM, strangers united by powerful and impactful experiences, underserved people connecting around mutual challenges, hopes and dreams. These communities include Adoption, Mental Health, Infertility, Addiction, Grief, Special Needs Parenting, LGBTQ+ and many more.

‘I remember the anesthesiologist asking me, as he was administering the epidural, if I was nervous about the surgery. I hesitated, and responded, ‘Only for her.’

“I pleaded with her pediatricians to investigate further. I hung up the phone and immediately collapsed to the floor, crying uncontrollably.”

Colin Balfe - Mar 07, 2019

‘She flatly told us his ‘problem.’ One phone call changed my understanding as to what was happening in the school walls.’: Son diagnosed with ADHD, mom talks about how proud she is he made it through school

“Yes, Gabriel’s mom? We need you to come down to the school and pick up your son. He has been suspended.”

Colin Balfe - Mar 07, 2019

‘He said he ‘knew what I had done.’ My clothes were all thrown on the floor. My boyfriend was kicking me out.’: Woman escapes abusive ex with bi-polar disorder

“I asked her what was wrong. She told me she didn’t know how to tell me, but I should probably get home as soon as I could. My boyfriend had called her to let her know he was throwing out all my stuff and kicking me out. ‘Why?!,’ I asked her crying. My boyfriend yelled at me, saying I needed to get my (explicit) out of there now.”

Colin Balfe - Mar 05, 2019

‘I pull into the school parking lot. I check my makeup. I walk to the front doors and wait to be escorted in. Memories flood my mind of all the chaos.’

“The bullying started over my relationship. People started rumors that I made myself throw up, prank called me and posted things online. I feel vulnerable and exposed. As I take a deep breath, I walk into the huge room.”

Colin Balfe - Mar 01, 2019

‘Excuse me, what? I looked at the screen and saw my ovaries with a ‘pearl necklace’ looking shape on the outer edge. Are you sure?’

“I’m in my early 30’s and have everything I need to start a family; This has got to be a misunderstanding.”

Colin Balfe - Feb 26, 2019

‘With tears welling up, I muttered, ‘But why does it hurt so much when I eat?’ Nobody could answer me.’: Woman diagnosed with MALS after 5 years of pain, ‘My journey is something to be celebrated’

“I was crying in pain after just a few bites of food. They ran test after test, but not a single one gave us any answers. ‘We have diagnosed you with Anorexia Nervosa. Your head is messing with you.’ I started to doubt my intuition and wonder if maybe this pain was my fault.”

Colin Balfe - Feb 26, 2019

‘Why should I be surprised he sought the company of other women? There were times I prayed he would hit me. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT.’

“Those 10 years destroyed my core. They broke me into a million pieces. Those 10 years implanted insecurities that never existed before.”

Colin Balfe - Feb 26, 2019

‘The doctor handed me a bunch of pamphlets and spoke the words, ‘We feel this fetus is not compatible with life.’: Mom chooses to birth baby who now ‘very much LIVES LIFE’

“I stopped her right there. ‘I don’t care what this baby has or doesn’t have, I WILL be delivering this baby.”

Colin Balfe - Feb 25, 2019

‘He had the neighbor watching me. ‘Bet you weren’t even raped.’ ‘Were you drinking?’ No one knew who he really was. I never thought these were red flags.’

“I found out he had been cheating on me. He convinced me it didn’t really happen and he went back to being the perfect guy. I couldn’t escape. I pushed on his chest and said, ‘No, I don’t want to.'”

Colin Balfe - Feb 25, 2019

‘I was about a mile away from my parents’ house when I saw a pair of headlights coming at me in my lane. I was so scared it was going to burst into flames. I sat in front of the car screaming.’

“I brushed it off and thought, ‘Oh there’s no way I’m pregnant.’ I went to Tennessee for a week for my birthday. I had my cousin buy me a bottle of Jager and I couldn’t even drink, it made me so sick. When I got home, I took another test. Sure, enough I was pregnant.”

Colin Balfe - Feb 15, 2019