Jennifer Cramer-Miller: Incurable Optimism

For lots of us, there’s the life we plan and then there is reality. At age 22, looking forward to a life full of opportunity for success and happiness, Jennifer Cramer-Miller got tossed into a world she’d never imagined. Diagnosed with an incurable autoimmune disease that caused kidney failure, she would face dialysis, and ultimately not only one kidney transplant, but four…and counting. This led her to become a “joy scouter.” The title of her memoir Incurable Optimist: Living with Illness and Chronic Hope (August 2023) is a hint to not only how Jennifer has coped for more than 30 years with illness, but how she lives her whole life. But she’s no Polly Anna, ignoring the hard stuff. Her optimism is born of living with reality, with the operative word being living. Anyone dealing with disappointment, hopelessness, or fear will be inspired by Jennifer’s infectious optimism. Listen in to her inspiring story.