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His mom took care of him when he was a sick child. Now he's paying her back big time.

'I’m going after everything I can, the most I can.'

True

Dashawn Hightower was only 3 years old when doctors discovered he had a tumor wrapped around his kidney.

He went through two years of intensive treatments that included having a needle stuck under his chest to make sure his kidney was still working.

Eventually, he made it out the other side cancer free but sans one kidney.

"Every day, I just think I’m lucky to be here," Dashawn says.

Dashawn Hightower. All photos via Dashawn Hightower, used with permission.

However, the experience wasn't only hard on him — his mother and two younger sisters were seriously affected as well.

Dashawn's mother became extremely overprotective of him, even after he was declared healthy again.

"She didn’t want me to do anything," Dashawn recalls. "No sports. No after school activities."

His mother raised him and his sisters on her own, and it was always difficult to make ends meet. So when Dashawn got into his teens, he decided to find a way to lift some of the burden off of her, even if it meant worrying her a little bit in the beginning.

It began with him attending a 6 a.m. meeting at his school about a student-focused career-building program.

When he reached high school, he joined This Way Ahead — an internship program designed to help teens get a leg up on their future.

An intern working at Old Navy.

The internship program is one of the efforts under Old Navy's cause platform ONward!. The brand is actually expanding the program through a trigger donation this Black Friday. You can buy their cozy socks for $1, and each purchase will result in a $1 donation to Boys & Girls Clubs, up to $1 million. The money will go to creating an employment program for Boys & Girls Club youth, offering them career coaching and a first job at Old Navy stores.

It's all about giving kids the skills they need to succeed in the workplace.

Every day, the program focused on a different job-based subject — what questions to ask at an interview, how to write a great resume, customer conflicts, etc. Slowly but surely, Dashawn felt his confidence building. He knew he could be a great business leader.

"It taught me responsibility," Dashawn says. "I own all my actions."

As a result, Dashawn started taking care of his sisters more. He'd help them with their homework and get ready for school. And soon, he landed his first job.

Dashawn with his mom at his Old Navy job.

"[The program] helped me to have the upper hand when I interviewed for a position at Old Navy," Dashawn recalls.

Not surprisingly, he aced the interview and was brought onboard as a paid intern in 2014. Last year in November, he was hired as a full-time staff employee, and today, he's a business and training operations specialist at Old Navy's Herald Square location in New York City.

He's finally getting to lift some of the financial strain off his mom, and she could not be happier with how far he's come.

She even remembers the first time he bought her a pair of shoes. She had the receipt framed.

Today, Dashawn takes every opportunity that comes his way to make life better because he knows he might not have had a life at all.

Dashawn with interns in the TWA program.

"I could’ve died when I was 3," Dashawn says. "So I’m going after everything I can, the most I can. I’m hungry."

He tries to instill the same go-getter attitude in his associates and the interns he now manages. Many of them come directly from Old Navy's first jobs program, so they're already at the top of their game. But they still come to him sometimes with questions or concerns about their next steps. Since he's been in their shoes, he shares the same advice he's given himself in the past.

"No matter what you do, you always show your best," he says. "And every time you complete a certain chapter, it’s just a chapter. You have the whole book to complete. You have the whole journey to look forward to."

For Tom Williams, a chiropractor from Chicago, every day is bring your son to work day.

At his family-based practice, which he runs along with his wife, Lauren, Tom is used to having kids in the office. In fact, his new son, Oliver, was nearly born there — Lauren was staked out at the front desk when she first went into labor.

[rebelmouse-image 19488825 dam="1" original_size="735x551" caption="Photo by Mike Williams/Livesidemedia.com, used with permission." expand=1]Photo by Mike Williams/Livesidemedia.com, used with permission.

After some recovery at home, the couple wanted to get the business back up and running again, but as parents and entrepreneurs, it was a challenge. Tom loved helping take care of his wife and new son, but wanted to get back to taking care of his patients too.

So together, Tom and Lauren came up with a pretty cool idea.

A few days per week, Oliver comes to the office where he splits time at Mom's desk and strapped to Dad's chest.

Tom was photographed by a patient earlier this month wearing a contented Oliver while casually giving an exam, and people across the internet are absolutely loving it.

Photo by Roots Family Chiropractic, used with permission.

"Just seeing Dr. Tom, he's such a calm doctor and such a loving person and I thought he was going to take the baby off, but he said, 'Nope the baby's sleeping' and started adjusting all of us,'" the patient who first shared the story, Genia Rackos, told ABC News. "I think he shows a really good example of what work-life balance is. He wears his baby with pride and it stands for everything he's about."

Photo by Roots Family Chiropractic, used with permission.

"I wear him in the office because it’s a chance for me to strengthen our bond," Williams says. "I truly love wearing him and that’s why we do it all the time. "

Tom is quick to point out the emotional and biological benefits of baby-wearing. But there's something even bigger at play here.

Photo by Genia Rackos/Facebook.

It's not uncommon to see a waitress taking orders with a sleeping baby across her chest or a small bassinet tucked in the corner of a cubicle in some corporate office.

In fact, companies are slowly growing more and more comfortable letting parents bring their babies to work.

Here's the catch: Figuring out what to do with baby during the day usually winds up being the mom's problem. A survey done by Parenting.com found that moms often wind up doing the lion's share of caretaking.

But the tide is turning, with more and more dads feeling empowered to take on a larger, if not the starring, role in raising the next generation of babies.

Guys like Williams are leading the charge, proving what moms have known for years: You can be a great parent and be good at your job, but no one ever said it'd be easy.

They pour their hearts into caring for others, but many can barely support their families.

True

"I know that a lot of the children, they’re starving by the time they get to my home in the morning. And a lot of times, you can just see it. They’re weak. And you can look at the parents and you can see that they’re weak. I sacrifice my groceries, I sacrifice water, sometimes I have clothing from other children ... sometimes I’ll sneak them into the bag. There have been times when I've gone to the Salvation Army if I had extra money and I know that there was a child in need."

Nicole Small, a child care worker in Detroit shared the above story. This is her reality. And she's not alone.

You see, there are people who love their jobs. I mean really love their jobs.

Their work makes them feel fulfilled. It makes them feel purposeful. They're giving back to their community. They're helping people who actually cannot help themselves. They're shaping the minds of young children whose parents are struggling to put food on the table. They are their client's backbone. They hold them up and keep them strong as life throws challenges their way. They're proud of what they do.

But they go home after spending eight or more hours at work and often can't afford to put food on their own tables.

Nicole Small, a child care worker in Detroit. All photos via SEIU, used with permission.

Many times, they have no savings, no chance for retirement. Often they can't afford to own a car, and if it's a necessity they can't get away from, they can't afford gas. Still, they refuse to feel hopeless.

This is a reality for so many child care and home care workers in this country.

They work hard every day, doing jobs that are absolutely necessary — in many cases saving lives. But they can't support themselves. They make such a low wage that basics like socks need to be budgeted for. They're on public assistance and are barely scraping by. And many of us don't know about it. But as leaders in the Fight for 15 movement, they're making their voices heard and sharing their stories.

Home care and child care workers at a Fight for $15 rally.

Many care workers struggle every day to make ends meet:

Nicole (child care)

"To be honest with you, it’s hard not to [survive]. When you’re looking at those children, it’s hard not to. I don’t know, you just kick into survival mode ... it’s just a part of your everyday life. Does it get exhausting? Are you tired? Absolutely. But what are you going to do when you have children here and you know that they need you."

Melissa Benjamin (home care)

"As a woman and working in home care, I have found myself completely dependent on my husband for everything. Even gas to get to my job. Because my job doesn’t pay a wage where I can support that. And so it creates this co-dependency on other people ... and there’s not a lot of dignity in that."

Melissa Benjamin, a home care worker in Colorado.

And as they fight for fair wages and a voice on the job, they’re worried that people don’t understand their struggle.

Denise Major (home care)

"You’re going to do work above and beyond the call of duty anyways simply because that’s someone that you love and you care about. ... It’s like you’re working but you’re still in poverty. And you’re working long hours and you’re working alone."

Denise Major, a home care worker in Pennsylvania.

Patricia Walker (home care)

"Everybody can’t do it. ... It takes a special person to go into somebody’s home and take care of them and give them that love and attention."

Sepia Coleman (home care)

"We are invisible. We’re not appreciated. We’re totally disrespected. And we have more financial struggles than time allows. We are literally the lowest paid people in our field, with the population of people that we work with."

Pavonne Scott (child care)

"We work so hard, tirelessly with the children, and then we can’t come home and pay our own bills. You’re giving so much and every day that you give goes straight to the bills. And that has been the biggest challenge."

Home care and child care workers at a Fight for $15 rally.

Melissa (home care)

"I wish people knew that it requires skill. A lot of people will say, 'Well, it’s just home care; you’re just like a babysitter. Why would you need a fair wage for that? All you’re doing is cooking and cleaning.' But no, there’s more that goes into it than that. There’s a lot more that goes into it."

Still, they show up for work every day, in spite of the challenges, because they love their jobs and know how vital they are.

Patricia (home care)

"I love what I do. I love my people. I don’t call them clients anymore because I’ve been with them for a minute. So they’re like my family. ... I want to be involved with them and I just love what I do. That’s the only way I can say it. I love what I do."

Pavonne (child care)

"The children need teaching. The children are our future ... it’s a heavy responsibility."

Pavonne Scott, a child care worker in Florida.

Melissa (home care)

"I’m a caregiver. I know people need care, and it’s what I do. And also, I like home care because I find that people are happier in their homes. When they’re in their homes, they feel secure and valued and comfortable. Knowing that there’s a need for that has kept me in it."

Nicole (child care)

"If you really care about the children, the quality of their education and the quality of their life, that’s what you do. You just jump in, and you help out in any area that you can."

Sepia (home care)

"I know that I am doing a good service to someone who is in need of care. And I know that one day, it could be me ... that’s what keeps me motivated and keeps me going."

Sepia Coleman, a home care worker in Tennessee.

And they’re fighting for $15 and a union because it gives them hope that better days are around the corner.

Denise (home care)

"I know I have a voice now. I know I no longer have to suffer in silence, and I can help other home care workers to kind of help them help themselves. ... We have a unique situation because we all work in separate places, so we rarely ever congregate unless it’s a rally or something like that. ... So I just want to let other home care workers know that we’re not alone. ... We have a voice and we can call each other. And we can kind of feel like we’re not on an island by ourselves and feeling stuck and helpless."

Sepia (home care)

"Everybody that has a job should have dignity and respect ... every job is not for everybody. But if the job is done in the best of performing, please show that person that you appreciate them. Don’t have a person working for your company eight or nine, 10 years, and they have to come and beg you for the compensation of a raise. It’s not fair to them. We’re not slaves, we’re people."

Patricia (home care)

"I ride the bus to my clients every day. I can’t afford a car. It’s very important to me that no one that’s coming up after me has to go through what I’m going through. Or what I’ve been through."

Patricia Walker, a home care worker in Florida.

Nicole (child care)

"It means that our children will be able to be more competitive when they go to a standard school like kindergarten or middle school ... they’ll have a better education and they’ll have a better quality of life. That’s what it means to me for the children. And what it means to me for myself? It means that I can give them more."

Melissa (home care)

"That’s what this movement is about. It’s about dignity. Giving dignity to the home care workers and the client."

Jimmy has built a wonderful life, but his diagnosis presented some unexpected challenges.

True

Growing up, Jimmy Valdes' parents raised him to focus on all the things he could do, not the things he couldn’t.

Jimmy was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in 1971 when he was only 4 years old. SMA is a degenerative spinal disease that causes weakness of the voluntary muscles — often those in the shoulders, thighs, hips, and back. People who have it usually need assistance to complete physical tasks.

Check out Jimmy's story here, or read more below:

As Cuban immigrants, Jimmy's parents were driven and determined to give their family the most normal life possible. They took him on family vacations. He played catch with his dad. He went to school and went on dates and read comic books.

His parents made it clear to him that he would always need help but that nothing was impossible. And he believed them. Jimmy told Upworthy, "If not for the decisions they made back then, my life wouldn't have turned out the way it did. And it's still a work in progress, it's every day, every week, every month."

Jimmy can't do everything, though, and needs caretakers to assist him through his daily routine.

He needs help completing all physical activities, from hygiene to meal prep to transportation. This is a reality that he's dealt with for most of his life, and he hasn't let it limit him.

There are systems and programs in place to help people like Jimmy who live with disabilities. Unfortunately, those supports sometimes fall short. Jimmy’s reality is proof of that.

All images via Muscular Dystrophy Association/YouTube.

You see, in spite of Jimmy’s severe disability, he does not qualify for disability benefits.

He's the breadwinner in his family — he has worked for CBS for over 20 years — and because he earns an income that exceeds the amount allowed, Jimmy does not qualify for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration that would help him pay for the care and services necessary to live his everyday life.

Almost all of his care he pays for out-of-pocket.

And the costs are astronomical. He said he spends hundreds per week on caretakers. He even quipped that he's been audited by the IRS a number of times because they couldn't believe that a single man had such exorbitant expenses.

As he put it, "it costs more for me to live life."

The Social Security Administration makes it clear that it's possible to work and receive benefits, so long as your earnings aren't "substantial." What does that mean? For 2016, the SSA site says that per month, "we consider earnings over $1,130 ($1,820 if you're blind) to be substantial."

So, you can be making a barely livable wage, especially in a city as notoriously expensive as New York City and not qualify. If you make more than the figures mentioned above, your care isn't covered.

This is Jimmy's dilemma, and he’s not the only one.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association shared a post on Facebook asking for comments and insight regarding efforts to work while dealing with a muscle-debilitating disease. The responses are telling.

One person mentions that, like Jimmy, he doesn’t meet the stringent income requirements to receive benefits, but that "as long as I can work that is a far more fulfilling life then having to watch every cent to be sure I'm poor enough." Another person mentions that she is "afraid to get any kind of raise or promotion due to income caps."

These are men and women who want nothing more than to live life on their terms but who are, in effect, limited by a policy that is meant to serve them.

The very system that was built to support them has let them down.

As hard as it may be to pay for his care and continue supporting his family, Jimmy isn't letting it prevent him from living the life he dreamed of.

He continues to work because he genuinely likes what he does. He's built a career and has a network of people who support him. He met and married the love of his life and is devoted to her and her family, all of whom remain a source of endless inspiration for him. He goes to concerts and games and makes every effort to enjoy the life he's worked so hard to build.

In addition to working hard toward his own self-sufficiency, Jimmy is focused on helping others in a similar situation have the opportunity to live life on their terms.

He wants to use his voice to bring awareness to the issues that people who have disabilities face and to help find solutions. He wants everyone to have the opportunity to live life their way, much as he has. And he wants the systems that are built to support people like himself to not be the very thing that limits them.

He's not yet sure where to start, but he's determined.

People with disabilities can and do live meaningful and contributing lives, and we can work together to help ensure that the systems intended to lift up individuals with disabilities do not hold them back.

MDA is proud to be part of the collective effort to break down barriers to meaningful employment for those living with disabilities, including looking at ways to help individuals work while keeping benefits like personal care in place. Get involved today by joining MDA’s advocacy efforts, contributing to help individuals like Jimmy live unlimited, or sharing your story about how you balance employment and personal care needs by emailing advocacy@mdausa.org.

From Your Site Articles

'I just wanted to let you know that I see you, and I recognize the sacrifices you’re making for your family.'

Read them both, all the way through. You'll thank us later.

Dear Stay-at-Home Mom,

Can I be honest? Sometimes, I get jealous of you.

Like, when I picture your mornings minus the chaos of hustling kids out the door to day care. I picture breakfasts eaten without staring at the clock, maybe a morning kids’ show, everyone still in PJs. I see you taking the kids to the zoo or the park or the lake mid-morning, snapping selfies with them and texting your husband the funny thing your oldest said. I see you throwing a load of laundry in the dryer when you get home (or whenever you WANT!), playing goofy games with the kids over lunch, eating food you didn’t have to pack at 11 p.m. the night before.

When the youngest goes down for a nap, I see you getting things done around the house or working on your in-home business or bonding with your oldest over a craft project.

I see you witnessing every milestone and every funny moment, amassing memories that will make you smile years from now.

Image via iStock.

I see you, glowing and healthy from days spent outside, chatting up the other moms at the park or the library or the gym, wearing whatever the heck you want, never going to boring department meetings, never realizing mid-day that you forgot to put deodorant on and can’t do a thing about it.

It all seems so nice as I sit in my cramped, sunless office, stressing about the project I’m way over my head in and wondering what my kids are doing right now (that I’m missing).

But don’t worry. I know there’s more to it than that.

I know you also deal with meltdowns and picky eaters and fighting over toys (over everything) and long, lonely days where you’re way over-touched and you don’t talk to a single person over the age of 4. I know there are rainy days, snowy days, teething days, and inexplicably-crazy-kids days. I know you go to the same park a bazillion times a week, repeat the same phrases to your kids all day, play the same games over and over, and prepare and clean up SO MUCH food.

I know you’re desperate for alone time and adult time, and I know you feel guilty when you take that out on the kids.

I know you think about your education and your pre-kids career, and you wonder if you’re doing the right thing. I know you wish you could contribute more financially. I know you worry that you’re pouring so much of yourself into your kids that you might lose sight of who you are.

I guess I just wanted to let you know that I see you, and I recognize the sacrifices you’re making for your family. It’s easy for me to focus on the highlights of your life — the things I’m personally missing out on — but I know that’s not the full picture.

The truth is, neither of our lives is perfect or easy, but they’re both pretty dang awesome — just in slightly different ways.

I see you, and I support you. Keep it up, girl!

Love,

Working Mom

Dear Working Mom,

Can I be honest? Sometimes, I get jealous of you.

Image via iStock.

Like, when I picture your mornings, sipping a still-hot latte alone at your quiet desk. I see you going to important meetings, talking to important people about important things (or at least, talking to adults about adult things). I see you grabbing lunch with your coworkers, gossiping about the office, maybe on an outdoor patio, maybe over some giant salads and still-cold iced teas. I see you giving presentations in that cute tailored blazer you have, speaking eloquently and confidently to a room of people who respect your ideas.

I see you planning out your days (and having that actually be a useful endeavor), working on projects that interest and challenge you, getting recognized for your hard work from your peers and superiors.

I see you traveling for work — sitting on a plane (ALONE!), staying in a nice hotel room, eating dinner on someone else’s dime. I see how proud you are of your career, how good it makes you feel. I see how extra special the time you spend with your kids is — the way you’re eager to pour into them in the evenings and on weekends, the way you treasure every minute.

It all seems so nice as I sit here eating leftover cold chicken nugget bits off my son’s plate, half-heartedly yelling at the kids to stop tackling each other and preemptively beating myself up for all the TV I know I’m going to let them watch later.

But don’t worry. I know there’s more to it than that.

I know that you still feel guilty sometimes after dropping off your kids, especially when they cling to you and cry. I know you envy the person who gets to spend their days with your children, seeing the funny things they do and hearing the funny things they say. I know you hate being stuck in your office on a beautiful day, wondering what your kids are up to and wishing you could be part of it.

Image via iStock.

I know it’s hard at the end of the day, when everyone’s tired and hungry and cranky, and you’re desperately cobbling dinner together before the frantic rush of baths and bedtime, and you SO wish it could be different because those are the only precious hours you get together as a family. I know it sucks to have to cram all the housework and errands into the weekends. I know you get lonely when you travel, and all the nice dinners and hotel rooms in the world can’t compete with those little faces at home that you can’t kiss goodnight. I know you miss your kids, and you wonder if you’re doing the right thing.

I guess I just wanted to let you know that I see you, and I recognize the sacrifices you’re making for your family.

It’s easy for me to focus on the highlights of your life — the things I’m personally missing out on — but I know that’s not the full picture.

The truth is, neither of our lives is perfect or easy, but they’re both pretty dang awesome — just in slightly different ways.

I see you, and I support you. Keep it up, girl!

Love,

Stay-at-Home Mom

Workers are doing what they can to lift up themselves and their families.

True

Something important is happening on April 14, 2016, and we don't mean National Dolphin Day (although that's pretty cool, too).

Workers across the globe are joining together to demand a living wage and the right to unionize.

The idea is pretty simple: that everybody who works should be paid enough to afford their basic needs and that it's wrong that profitable corporations like McDonald's choose to pay people so little that they are trapped in poverty.

Image via The All-Nite Images/Flickr.

What started as a movement of a couple hundred fast-food workers in November 2012 has gained tremendous momentum — not only across the country, but across the globe. It's expanded from fast-food workers to include child care, health care, higher education, and numerous other workers. Tens of thousands of workers are expected to turn out in hundreds of protests on April 14, 2016.

In advance of what the Fight for $15 is calling its "biggest ever" day of strikes, here are three inspiring things about the fight so far.

1. It's winning.

On April 4, 2016, the governors of California and New York signed bills establishing a minimum wage of $15 per hour in their states. That means raises for 9 million workers. That's HUGE.

"What we’re doing is working. We’re really making this happen," Naquasia LeGrand, one of the workers who has been part of the movement since the beginning, told Upworthy. She participated in the first walkout on November 29, 2012, and has since become a face of the movement, organizing flash strikes and even appearing on "The Colbert Report."

There's Naquasia, leading a protest. Image via SEIU, used with permission.

She recalls the first meeting she attended and what it was that convinced her to join. "It was just inspiring that we were willing to to stand up straight and tall and have our voices be heard. From there, I knew this is where I need to be to make a difference in our country."

2. It's only possible because people are banding together.

In a country that's been feeling more and more divided, it can be easy to look past the instances of people joining together. But the Fight for $15 is a pretty incredible reminder that when people work together, change happens.

As LeGrand puts it, "It made me feel that the only way Americans can survive in America is that we stick together to keep our country strong. These corporations try to divide us in so many different ways. ... We’re all in the same boat. We’re all struggling to take care of our families, to live a better life, to save money for our future."

In a delightful interview with Stephen Colbert, LeGrand explained why it's important to her to organize:

"Me as my one voice can't go to my manager and be like, 'Listen, I want these set days ... this is how much money I want' — no, I have to come with a team, I have to come with my coworkers and other workers around the country and let them know it's not just me who's going through this, it's all of us going through this."

Image via SEIU, used with permission.

3. It's about more than wages.

LeGrand enjoys and gets satisfaction from her job and goes out of her way to be a good employee. In return, the corporations she's worked for — well, they don't return the favor. The raise LeGrand received this year of just 15 cents, bringing her total wages to $8.15 an hour, only drove this point home for her.

"I enjoy working at my job and serving people and being able to please a customer knowing that I got their order right or their food was delicious or my service was so great they’re coming back again. I go out of my way for McDonald's and my customers, and they won’t go out of their way for me. ... A 15 cent raise tells you right there, McDonald's, tells you, they don’t care about their workers."

Image via SEIU, used with permission.

In addition to making it very difficult for workers to support themselves and their families, that undervaluing takes an emotional toll.

"With workers who work for so long for so little, we feel like that’s it. Like that’s what we settle for. That this is what we deserve. That we deserve $7.25," she said.

That's a feeling LeGrand doesn't want her son, who turned one in January, to ever know.

When asked about the jobs she envisions for her son, who, LeGrand says, may someday work at McDonald's or KFC given the growth in fast food jobs and stagnation in middle- and high-wage jobs, she said, "I will hope they offer better pay and of course benefits, paid sick days, paid vacation days. This is what I’m fighting for now so my son don’t have to know how it is to struggle so much for what they call a minimum wage job or low-wage job."

LeGrand is joining thousands of other low-wage workers in walkouts across the country on April 14, 2016.

She has spent almost four years fighting this fight and says she'll spend the next four years doing the same if that's what it takes. We really hope it doesn't take that long.