We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cameron Parker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cameron below.
Cameron , we are so deeply grateful to you for opening up about your journey with mental health in the hops that it can help someone who might be going through something similar. Can you talk to us about your mental health journey and how you overcame or persisted despite any issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
On February 7th, 2024, my wife and I lost our son Titus to a devastating abdominal disease called Necrotizing Enterocolitis, or NEC. The loss of a child is the hardest thing a human can endure, and the mental health challenges that followed were crushing. When you lose a child, you lose a sense of purpose, a sense of direction, and even the will to live. After Titus passed away, the weight of grief hit us almost instantly. I was overwhelmed with anxiety, depression, sleepless nights, and a constant fear of what the future would look like without my son. There were many mornings I struggled to even get out of bed, wishing I would wake up from what felt like a terrible nightmare. Titus was only 28 days old when his life was cut short—far too soon for such a bright and beautiful little boy. Out of that pain and suffering, my wife and I knew we had to do something. We wanted to make sure Titus’ short life had a lasting legacy, and we wanted to bring awareness to this terrible disease we had never even heard of before our son was diagnosed.
That desire gave birth to the Titus Strong Foundation. What started as two grieving parents searching for purpose has grown into a mission-driven organization with a vision to see a world where no more babies are lost to NEC. In our very first year, we committed to raising $50,000 to fund NEC research at Dr. Misty Good’s lab at UNC Chapel Hill Hospital. By July 2025, through the generosity of our community and the relentless passion to honor Titus’ life, we were able to hit that ambitious goal. This milestone not only fueled cutting-edge research into NEC prevention and treatment, but it also showed us the power of hope born out of heartbreak.
Since then, the Foundation has continued to expand its mission. We’ve launched initiatives to support families in the NICU at UNC, including creating an encouraging and informative NEC Resource Sheet so parents no longer have to walk blindly through a diagnosis as we did. We’ve begun planning NICU Parent Resource Kits, practical and emotional support packages for families navigating the hardest days of their lives. We are also preparing to launch a scholarship fund at UNC that will directly support students and researchers working to find a cure for NEC, ensuring that Titus’ name and story inspire the next generation of medical breakthroughs. Beyond these efforts, we’ve hosted impactful fundraising events like Christmas and a Cure and the SMASH NEC Pickleball Tournament, which not only raised money but also brought communities together around awareness and action.
The Titus Strong Foundation is more than a nonprofit—it’s the living legacy of our son. His 28 days on earth sparked a mission that will long outlive us, carrying his name into hospitals, labs, and families’ lives across the world. What began as unimaginable loss has become a movement of hope, research, awareness, and support—driven by the belief that no other family should ever have to endure what we went through.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
wear two hats that I believe are deeply connected—one as the co-founder of the Titus Strong Foundation, and the other as a Youth Pastor at Focus Church.
The Titus Strong Foundation was born out of the life and legacy of our son, Titus, who passed away from Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) when he was just a month old. Our mission is simple but urgent: to create a world where no other family has to experience this devastating disease. We do that by funding groundbreaking NEC research at UNC Chapel Hill, raising awareness in the community, and equipping families in the NICU with resources that bring both information and encouragement. Just recently, we reached our first major milestone—raising $50,000 in a year to directly fund Dr. Misty Good’s NEC research lab. Now, we’re expanding into new initiatives like NICU parent resource kits, ongoing research grants, and a scholarship program at UNC for future NEC researchers.
Alongside this, I serve as Youth Pastor at Focus Church, where I have the privilege of walking with students through some of the most formative years of their lives. What excites me most is seeing young people come alive in their faith—realizing they are not only loved by God but also called to impact their schools, teams, and communities. I believe youth ministry is about more than just a Wednesday night service; it’s about equipping a generation to live boldly for Jesus every day.
Between these two callings, what drives me is legacy—leaving a mark that outlives me. Whether through medical breakthroughs that save the lives of babies or through students who are set on fire for Christ, I want to spend my life building something that truly lasts.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, the three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are resiliency, leadership development, and vision casting.
Resiliency has been the foundation. In both personal and professional seasons, setbacks were inevitable. What mattered most was the ability to stand back up, learn, and keep moving forward. Resiliency isn’t just about surviving hard moments—it’s about allowing them to refine you and make you stronger.
Leadership development has been equally important. I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about raising up others, equipping them, and celebrating their growth. Developing leaders creates multiplication—you can reach farther and accomplish more when others are empowered to lead alongside you.
Vision casting has shaped the way I bring people together. People don’t rally behind tasks; they rally behind vision. Being able to clearly communicate the “why” and paint a picture of where we’re going has consistently attracted others to the mission and sustained momentum even in difficult times.
My advice for those early in their journey would be:
Build resiliency by embracing challenges instead of avoiding them. Treat setbacks as training, not as signs you’re failing.
Invest in leadership development by finding mentors and also mentoring others, even if you’re just one step ahead. Leadership is sharpened through relationships.
Practice vision casting by learning to tell compelling stories, communicate with clarity, and connect people to a purpose bigger than themselves.
If you grow in these three areas, you won’t just move forward personally—you’ll bring others with you, and that’s where the real impact lies.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
The most helpful influence in overcoming challenges and developing the qualities I carry today has been my reliance on God. From a young age, I’ve recognized that my strength, wisdom, and resilience don’t come from myself alone. Every difficult season has been an opportunity to lean on Him more deeply, and it’s in those moments of surrender that I’ve been shaped the most.
God has taught me resiliency when life didn’t go the way I expected, giving me the perseverance to keep moving forward with hope. He has developed my heart for leadership—not as a position of power, but as a calling to serve others with humility and vision. And He’s given me clarity in vision casting, helping me see beyond present obstacles into the bigger picture of what He’s building.
In short, God has been the steady hand that has molded me into the man I am today. Without His guidance and presence, I wouldn’t have the strength or perspective to face the challenges I’ve walked through or the opportunities that lie ahead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://titusstrong.org
- Instagram: Titus Strong Foundation
- Facebook: Titus Strong Foundation
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