About Mardie
As a Children’s Author
As an award-winning non-fiction author, Mardie was inspired to turn her attention toward children’s stories after her seven-year-old granddaughter was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. Mardie found herself spinning tales at home to entertain and encourage her as she endured months of radiation and chemotherapy following the removal of both the football-sized tumor and her kidney.
Her first children’s book, Ellie, the Brave, Bald Fairy is a heartfelt and inspiring story that gives hope to children of all ages facing cancer and other childhood illnesses. It has been well received by medical professionals and others who work with pediatric cancer patients such as the Wilms Cancer Foundation and Hope Scarves. With beautiful illustrations that depict illness and cancer treatments, hurting children will identify with Ellie and the feelings she has. Enduring loneliness, hair loss, teasing, and sickness, Ellie learns to be brave and strong, and her baldness saves the village at a terrifying moment!
It is Mardie’s sincere wish that these same magical stories will encourage other children facing similar diagnoses.
As an Adoption Expert
Mardie has graciously provided her knowledge, experience, and caring heart to media requests from across the country and around the world. Many people were first introduced to Mardie through one of her appearances in the media as one of the most experienced adoption experts in the United States.
Mardie has more than 225 media credits to her name, including Larry King Live, The Ricki Lake Show, Marie Osmond’s show “Marie”, ABC News, NBC’s The Today Show, CNN Headline News, CNN’s The Campbell Brown Show, CBS News, NBC News, KGO Newstalk Radio, CNN’s Black in America II, MSNBC, Fox, PBS, BBC, Dr. Laura, and is widely sought for print articles and speaking engagements.
As a Certified Open Adoption Practitioner
Mardie Caldwell is the Founder and CEO of Lifetime Adoption Center in Florida. Assisting with more than 140 adoptions each year, Lifetime has become one of the largest adoption centers in the country. Working nationwide, Lifetime’s caring staff supports each woman as they consider their pregnancy choices while encouraging waiting adoptive families throughout their adoption journey. In 2014, Mardie was honored with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s “Woman-Owned Business of the Year.”
Mardie has designed an adoption program that is personalized for each individual who contacts her center and provides around-the-clock availability for any birth parent considering adoption. She designed the program after her own adoption struggles and prides herself on the caring, compassionate support that is offered to each birth parent and family who works with her center.
After so many years of assisting with adoption, Mardie saw a need for birth parents and founded Lifetime Adoption Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit adoption charity. Lifetime Foundation was established to assist birth mothers in fulfilling their dreams by providing college scholarships for women who have chosen adoption. It has grown to now include offering grants to assist with special needs adoptions and provide more immediate assistance (such as maternity clothes or household items) for birth mothers through the new Birth Mother Blessings program. Mardie is also a member of the P.E.O Sisterhood, whose mission is women helping women reach for the stars.
As an Adoption Author
Mardie has had the opportunity to reach out and share her adoption experience with others around the world. Two of her books for adoptive families, AdoptingOnline.com and Adoption: Your Step by Step Guide have won awards, including the prestigious Benjamin Franklin Award. They are both widely recommended by many, including Dr. Laura Schlesinger who hailed Mardie’s book as the “ultimate guide to adoption”.
Her book So I Was Thinking About Adoption… was written specifically for women considering adoption for their children, has received much media attention. It is now considered the finest book of its kind and is available nationwide. In addition, Mardie offers it as a complimentary download for women who need the information as they consider the best decision for their child.
Additionally, Mardie has written The Healthcare Professional’s Adoption Guide, geared toward educating doctors, nurses, social workers, and anyone working with women in the healthcare industry. Many times, these professionals are working directly with women who are making difficult decisions about their child’s future, yet there is little training to bring them up-to-date on the best practices in open adoption. This guide, along with the opportunity for in-service trainings, has made a huge difference in adoption education for healthcare professionals.
Called to Adoption: A Christian’s Guide to Answering the Call is a straightforward guide that offers tips and up-to-date, relevant information every parent considering adoption should know. Readers will identify with Mardie’s personal and professional experiences, making this a vital handbook as parents take steps to adopt. This book aims to help couples with God’s plan for their family.
As A Woman-Owned Business
Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P., CEO of Lifetime Adoption Center, was honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration as the woman-owned business of the year, according to a press release submitted to The Union.
The annual award is based on a number of criteria, including financial performance, business and employee growth, innovation of product services, response to adversity, and community contributions.
Lifetime Adoption was founded by Caldwell in 1986 and is one of the larger adoption employers. Caldwell expanded her operations last year to include offices in New Port Richey, Florida. She also owns a number of other small companies providing employment and contracts to other businesses in the area.
“I am honored to be chosen,” Caldwell said in the press release. “I hope to encourage and help other businesses succeed by working together, encouraging tourism and local buying. Together we can make our community stronger with increased jobs and opportunities which will benefit our beautiful communities.”
– The Union
As an Adoptive Mother
Mardie finds her role as an adoptive mother to be the most important. The path that led Mardie to her son more than twenty years ago is one that was life-changing, as she often shares through her own testimony.
About Mardie
As a Children’s Author
As an award-winning non-fiction author, Mardie was inspired to turn her attention toward children’s stories after her seven-year-old granddaughter was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. Mardie found herself spinning tales at home to entertain and encourage her as she endured months of radiation and chemotherapy following removal of both the football-sized tumor and her kidney.
Her first children’s book, Ellie, the Brave, Bald Fairy is a heartfelt and inspiring story that gives hope to children of all ages facing cancer and other childhood illnesses. It has been well received by medical professionals and others work with pediatric cancer patients such as the Wilms Cancer Foundation and Hope Scarves. With beautiful illustrations that depict illness and cancer treatments, hurting children will identify with Ellie and the feelings she has. Enduring loneliness, hair loss, teasing, and sickness, Ellie learns to be brave and strong, and her baldness saves the village at a terrifying moment!
It is Mardie’s sincere with that these same magical stories will encourage other children facing similar diagnoses.
As an Adoption Expert
Mardie has graciously provided her knowledge, experience, and caring heart to media requests from across the country and around the world. Many people were first introduced to Mardie through one of her appearances in the media as one of the most experienced adoption experts in the United States.
Mardie has more than 225 media credits to her name, including: Larry King Live, The Ricki Lake Show, Marie Osmond’s show “Marie”, ABC News, NBC’s The Today Show, CNN Headline News, CNN’s The Campbell Brown Show, CBS News, NBC News, KGO Newstalk Radio, CNN’s Black in America II, MSNBC, Fox, PBS, BBC, Dr. Laura, and is widely sought for print articles and speaking engagements.
As a Certified Open Adoption Practitioner
Mardie Caldwell is the Founder and CEO of Lifetime Adoption Center in Florida. Assisting with more than 140 adoptions each year, Lifetime has become one of the largest adoption centers in the country. Working nationwide, Lifetime’s caring staff supports each woman as they consider their pregnancy choices while encouraging waiting adoptive families throughout their adoption journey. In 2014, Mardie was honored with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s “Woman-Owned Business of the Year.”
Mardie has designed an adoption program that is personalized for each individual who contacts her center and provides around-the-clock availability for any birth parent considering adoption. She designed the program after her own adoption struggles and prides herself on the caring, compassionate support that is offered to each birthparent and family who works with her center.
After so many years of assisting with adoption, Mardie saw a need for birthparents and founded Lifetime Adoption Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit adoption charity. Lifetime Foundation was established to assist birthmothers in fulfilling their dreams by providing college scholarships for women who have chosen adoption. It has grown to now include offering grants to assist with special needs adoptions and provide more immediate assistance (such as maternity clothes or household items) for birthmothers through the new Birthmother Blessings program. Mardie is also a member of of the P.E.O Sisterhood, whose mission is women helping women reach for the stars.
As an Adoption Author
Mardie has had the opportunity to reach out and share her adoption experience with others around the world. Two of her books for adoptive families, AdoptingOnline.com and Adoption: Your Step by Step Guide have won awards, including the prestigious Benjamin Franklin Award. They are both widely recommended by many, including Dr. Laura Schlesinger who hailed Mardie’s book as the “ultimate guide to adoption”.
Her book So I Was Thinking About Adoption… was written specifically for women considering adoption for their children, has received much media attention. It is now considered the finest book of its kind and is available nationwide. In addition, Mardie offers it as a complimentary download for women who need the information as they consider the best decision for their child.
Additionally, Mardie has written The Healthcare Professional’s Adoption Guide, geared toward educating doctors, nurses, social workers, and anyone working with women in the healthcare industry. Many times, these professionals are working directly with women who are making difficult decisions about their child’s future, yet there is little training to bring them up-to-date on the best practices in open adoption. This guide, along with the opportunity for in-service training has made a huge difference with adoption education for healthcare professionals.
Called to Adoption: A Christian’s Guide to Answering the Call is a straightforward guide that offers tips and up-to-date, relevant information every parent considering adoption should know. Readers will identify with Mardie’s personal and professional experiences, making this a vital handbook as parents take steps to adopt. This book aims to help couples with God’s plan for their family.
As A Woman-Owned Business
Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P., CEO of Lifetime Adoption Center, was honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration as the woman-owned business of the year, according to a press release submitted to The Union.
The annual award is based on a number of criteria, including financial performance, business and employee growth, innovation of product services, response to adversity, and community contributions.
Lifetime Adoption was founded by Caldwell in 1986 and is one of the larger adoption employers. Caldwell expanded her operations last year to include offices in New Port Richey, Florida. She also owns a number of other small companies providing employment and contracts to other businesses in the area.
“I am honored to be chosen,” Caldwell said in the press release. “I hope to encourage and help other businesses succeed by working together, encouraging tourism and local buying. Together we can make our community stronger with increased jobs and opportunities which will benefit our beautiful communities.”
– The Union
As an Adoptive Mother
Mardie finds her role as an adoptive mother to be the most important. The path that led Mardie to her son more than twenty years ago is one that was life-changing, as she often shares through her own testimony.