Special Fathers' Network Podcast

Our guest this week is Ron Janowczyk of Colleyville, TX the father of three, a wine industry veteran and owner of Special Strong of Northeast Tarrant County, a sports facility, that helps develop specialized fitness programs for people with mental, cognitive, and physical challenges.Ron and his wife, Gloria, have been married for 39 years and are the proud parents of three children; Lauren (35), Joe (33) and Jake (26) who has Williams Syndrome. After a very successful career in the wine industry, Ron felt the call to do something purposeful and in line with his values driven by his faith, which lead him to creating a Special Strong franchise in Northeast Tarrant County. It’s an inspiring story about a father who has a big heart and a passion for inspiring others to be the best they can be.That’s all on this this week’s Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Show Links:https://www.specialstrong.comhttps://williams-syndrome.orghttps://www.miracleleagueofsouthlake.com Email: [email protected]

Our guest this week is Stewart Perriliat of San Anselmo, CA, who is the father of three, a former U.S. Marine Sergeant, Founder and CEO of Perrilliat Enterprises, a general contracting and engineering firm, an author, ordained minister and founder of Man2Man Urban Youth Advocate. Stewart is father of three: Jessica (34), Stewart Jr. (18) and Destiny (15).Stewart is a man on a mission -- helping dads be better dads -- whether they’re incarcerated or just needing that extra push. Stewart and his team also help men be better men. It’s an inspiring story and one we’ll hear this week on the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.Email – [email protected] LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/man2man-urban-youth-advocate-1250b247/ Man2Man Urban Youth Advocates - https://www.man2man-uya.orgPlease take the SFN Early Intervention Parent Survey and as a token gift, receive a Great Dad Coin - https://tinyurl.com/5n869y2y Special Fathers Network - SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special

Our guest this week is Michael Deleon of Pacific, WA, who has an aviation and aerospace background, is the father of four, including two impacted by Urea Cycle Disorder (UCD) and co-founder of the Connecting Families UCD Foundation. Michael and his wife, Robin, have been married for 23 years and are the proud parents of nine, including five from Robin’s first marriage, two from his first marriage and two children between the two of them. Sadly, their son, Michael, diagnosed with UCD, passed away in 2000 at age 3 months. And, their daughter, Ariella, who is 19, was also diagnosed with UCD as well.We learn about Michael’s growing up with a Marine Corps father, their marriages, blended families, and how they have overcome some of the obstacles presented by children with special healthcare needs. It’s a heartbreaking and heart warming story on today’s SFN Dad To Dad Podcast. Email – [email protected] UCD Family Foundation - https://ucdfamily.org Camp Video - https://q8b.e24.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uplo

Our guest this week is Christian Sakamoto of Ocean Shores, WA, a financial planner and father to three, including a daughter with infantile spasms. Christian and his wife, Suzy, have been married for seven years and are the proud parents of three: Miles (1), Jude (3) and Rosalie (4), who was diagnosed with Infantile Spasms, a form of Epilepsy. We'll learn about Christian's upbringing, the important role his stepfather and spirituality have played as well as what lead to his career as a financial planner with Mika Shilanski & Associates and how this young family is embracing life's challenges head on. All on today's SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.Email – [email protected] LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiansakamoto/ NAPA Center in Long Beach – https://napacenter.org Seattle Children’s Hospital – https://www.seattlechildrens.org Mary Bridge Hospital – https://www.marybridge.org/ Ronald McDonald House - https://rmhcsc.org/longbeachPlease take the SFN Early Intervention Parent Survey and as a

Our guest this week is Dr. John DeMartini of Houston, TX, a world renowned human behavior specialist, an author and a global educator. John is the founder of the De Martini Institute, a global education organization, which has over 72 courses on self-development, life mastery and leadership in its extensive curriculum. He studied over 30,000 books across all the defined academic disciplines and has synthesized the wisdom of the ages which he shares on stage in over 100 countries. He is also the author of over 40 self-development books including the best-seller "The Breakthrough Experience" and his new global release, the "Values Factor." He has also been featured in film documentaries such as "The Secret," "The Opus" and "Oh My God" alongside Ringo Star, Seal and Hugh Jackman. He has shared the stage with some of the world’s most influential speakers such as Stephen Covey, Sir Richard Branson, and Deepak ChopraAnd he’s our guest this week on this SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.Email - [email protected]://dr

Our guest this week is Dr. Anju Usman Singh, a board certified family practitioner and the medical director at True Health Medical Center in Naperville, IL, providing integrative and biomedical treatments that enhance traditional medical care. Dr. Usman is director and owner of True Health Medical Center and Pure Compounding Pharmacy in Naperville, Illinois. She also is the Chief Science Officer for True Healing Naturals. She specializes in biomedical interventions for children with ADD, Autism, PANDAS/PANS, Down Syndrome and related disorders. She has been involved in research regarding copper/zinc imbalances, metallothionein dysfunction, biofilm related infections and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. She serves on the board for The Neuroimmune Foundation, and the medical advisory boards for TACA (The Autism Community in Action) and Autism Hope Alliance, as well as faculty for MAPs (Medical Academy for Pediatric Special Needs). Dr. Usman received her medical degree from Indiana University and completed a res

Our guests this week on the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast are Jessica & Chris Patay of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. The Patays have been married for 25 years and are proud parents of three children: Luke (21), Kate (16), and middle child Ryan (18) who was born with a rare genetic disorder known as Prader-Willi Syndrome.We'll learn about the Patay family journey, Prader-Willi Syndrome and how Jessica started We Are Better Together, a non profit organization that provides respite, community, and resources for mothers caring for children of any age with disabilities, unique needs, or other medical or mental health challenges. We also learn about the We Are Better Together Podcast Jessica hosts. It’s a fascinating and inspiring story here on this week’s SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.LinkedIn Jessica - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-patay-06094446/ LinkedIn Chris - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispatay/ Email Jessica - [email protected] Email Chris - [email protected] Website – We Are Brave Together - https:/

Our guest this week is Pete Hixson of Woodstock, GA, the father of two, a pastor, certified business coach, a facilitator at Story Brand, Campus Launch Director at Shepherds College and CEO/founder of Beyond Communities. Pete and wife, Hollie, have been married for 25 years and are the proud parents of two girls: Addie (18) and Hope (20), who has Cerebral Palsy as well as seizures. We learn about Pete's role at Story Brand, a business that helps organizations clarify their message and build a sales funnel to thrive in the marketplace. We also learn about Pete's role at Shepherds College, the nation's leading post-secondary school created with the learning needs of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in mind. And, we also learn about Beyond Communities, the organization Pete founded that develops and builds residential communities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It's an inspiring story about a father's commitment to serve his family, his parish, the broader

Our guest this week is Doug Noll, of Fresno County, CA, who worked for 20 years as a corporate lawyer, is a professional mediator, recognized expert in the area of peacemaking and conflict resolution, co-founder of Prison of Peace, and author of four books, including the Best-Seller - De-Escalate: How to Calm An Angry Person in 90 Seconds or Less. Most remarkably, growing up in San Marino, CA, Doug was the oldest of five, was blind, partially deaf and club footed. At three he had corrective surgery. In 4th grade his sight was 20/400. While Doug knew he was loved, he describes his childhood as 'quite miserable.' With Laurel Kaufer, Doug founded Prison of Peace in 2009. The Prison of Peace project has been the most profound peace training Doug has conducted thus far in his career. He has been deeply moved by inmates who have learned and applied deep, empathic listening skills, leadership skills, and problem-solving skills to reduce violence in their prison communities. Their dedication to learning, improv

Our guest this week is Sanath Kumar Ramesh of San Jose, CA, IL, the father of a son with a super rare disease, a successful tech executive and co-founder of the Open Treatment Foundation. Sanath and his wife, Ramya, have been married for 7 years and are the proud parents of Raghav, who is 3 and was diagnosed with SSMD or Sedaghatiantype Spondylo Metaphyseal Dysplasia an extremely rare progressive disease.Sanath is very open and transparent about his early denial. And we learn about Sanath's efforts to create the Open Treatment Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to creating a software platform that streamlines therapy development for any monogenic rare disease regardless of rarity and geography. We also learn about the Raising Rare Podcast that Sanath hosts to draw attention to the Open Treatment Foundation and efforts to educate, enlighten and inspire those touched by rare disease. It’s a fascinating and uplifting story about gratitude, overcoming denial, as well as making the most of life, in the face of rar

Our guest this week is Jim Mullen, a disabled Chicago Police Officer who was shot and catastrophically injured in the line of duty, leaving him a ventilator dependent quadriplegic. We’ll hear how Jim's life has changed, how his injury has affected him, his wife and his daughter (who was only 7 months old at the time), about his hobby of buying and selling vintage muscle cars, how he has started marketing and selling his mother’s delicious apple sauce recipe through Mullen's Food Company, now available at Amazon, Walmart and other national retailers. It’s a fascinating and uplifting story about gratitude and making the most of life, in the face of severe adversity, here on this week’s Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast.Website - http://www.mullenfoods.com Email - [email protected] CPMF – https://cpdmemorial.org/LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-mullen-4797b010/ CBS Reporter - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei74KnRvcQ4 Please take the SFN Early Intervention Parent Survey and as a token

Our guests this week are Toby Brown of Colorado Springs and Jesse Hohn of Littleton, CO. Toby and his wife, Angela Bird, have been married for 15 years and are the proud parents of two children; Kavan (19) and Anabelle (17).Jesse and his wife, Felima, have been married for 23 years and are the proud parents of three children: Ethan (21), Arianna (18) and Sadie (14). Four of their five children have Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome (or SDS), a rare genetic disorder that affects many parts of the body, particularly the bone marrow, pancreas and skeletal system. We learn about how Toby and Jesse's friendship has evolved as a result of both having children with Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome. We also learn about many of the organizations that have played an instrumental role in the lives of the Brown and Hohn families, including: Camp Sunshine in Maine, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Special Olympics of Colorado, Team Impact and the Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome Foundation. It's an uplifting story about two dedicated dads, their c

Our guest this week is Dr. Eric Endlich, of Sonoma, CA who is an Autistic man, the father of two, a Psychologist, author and founder of Top College Consultants, an organization that serves students with Autism, ADHD and other learning differences, navigate the college admissions process. Eric and his wife, Kristina, have been married for 35 years and are the proud parents of two children; Elyse (21) and Alex (24) who is Autistic. Eric discovered late in life he is Autistic, which has helped him relate to his son and has shaped his career. His book, “Older Autistic Adults In Their Words, The Lost Generation”, is available on Amazon. We’ll hear Eric’s fascinating story on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast.Top College Consultants - https://www.topcollegeconsultants.com Asperger Autism Network (AANE) - https://www.aane.org Email - [email protected] Book: Older Autistic Adults: In Their Own Words - https://tinyurl.com/5czzzyhfPhone – (617) 515-3568LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/topcolleg

Our guest this week is Joe Lang of Sacramento, CA who is managing partner at Lang, Hansen, Giroux & Kidane, a lobbying/government relations firm, as well as the co-founder of Jordan’s Guardian Angels, a non-profit whose mission is helping to improve and bring joy to the lives of children and families in the Coachella Valley and beyond. Joe and his wife, Cynthia, have been married for 18 years and are the proud parents of two children; Blythe (30) and Jordan (16), who was diagnosed with PPP2R5D, now known as Jordan’s Syndrome. We’ll learn about the Lang family journey, how PPP2R5D was named Jordan Syndrome, how Jordan’s Guardian Angels came into existence and how they support & bring joy to the lives of families raising children with special healthcare needs.Jordan’s Guardian Angels - https://jordansguardianangels.org Family Conference Documentary - https://jordansguardianangels.org/watch-our-story/ Email - [email protected] Phone – (916) 708-1802Special Fathers Network - SFN is a dad to dad mentoring pr

This week David Hirsch talks with fellow Illini Adam Bleakney, head coach of the wheelchair track program, which is part of the Division Of Disability Resources & Educational Services in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. We also meet: Amanda McGrory and Brian Siemann, two University of Illinois graduates who were part of the wheelchair track team and who have both competed in numerous international Paralympic events. You’ll learn about their backstories, what brought them to the world of adaptive athletics at UofI, as well as how their university experience has allowed them to prosper, find meaningful employment, to compete at the highest levels internationally and to see the world. It’s an amazing trio of stories that you’ll hear on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast. University of Illinois Adaptive Athletics Programs – https://www.disability.illinois.edu LinkedIn –Adam - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-bleakney-4ba61421/ Amanda - ht

Our guest this week is Rabbi Kalman Samuels of Jerusalem, Israel. Rabbi Samuels and his wife, Malki, have seven children, one of whom, Yossi, became deaf and blind after being administered a faulty vaccine at two. We’ll hear the remarkable story of how Yossi learned to communicate, to read, and how Kalman and Malki started Shalva, a seven story state-of-the art center on five acres in downtown Jerusalem, which serves as a beacon of hope, helping thousands of disabled children weekly, gain an ability to have a higher quality life. We’ll also hear about Kalman’s book, “Dreams Never Dreamed: A Mother’s Promise That Transformed Her Son’s Breakthrough into a Beacon of Hope” available on Amazon. It’s an amazing story and one you’ll enjoy on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Links:SHALVA The Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities - https://www.shalva.org Book - Dreams Never Dreamed: A Mother’s. Promise That Transformed Her Son’s Breakthrough into a Beacon of Hope -

Our guest this week is Shayne Gaffney of Windham, NH, a cycling & running coach, a licensed physical therapy assistant, and father of two including a daughter with CytoMegaloVirus, or CMV.Shayne and his wife, Megan, have been married for 8 years and are the proud parents of two children: Finn (5) and Grace (3), who was diagnosed with CytoMegaloVirus or CMV, a common virus, but when a baby is born with congenital CMV infection, it can result in several long-term health problems. We learn about the Gaffney family journey, their advocacy for those impacted by CMV and the role Easter Seals & the CMV Foundation has played in their lives. That's all on this episode of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast. Email – [email protected] – (978) 604-5543LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayne-gaffney-19011914a/ Easter Seals of New Hampshire - https://www.easterseals.com/nh/ National CMV Foundation - https://www.nationalcmv.org Website – https://www.nowiknowcmv.com Special Fathers Network - SFN is a dad

Our guest this week is Doug Robb of Long Valley, NJ the father of five including two with Autism, a financial advisor and co-founder of Seat At The Table Foundation, a non-profit organization.Doug and his wife, Dara, have been married for 28 years and are the proud parents of five children; Taylor (27), Dougie (25), Jackson (22), Peyton (21), and Mia (19). Dougie and Jackson are both on the Autism spectrum. We’ll learn about Doug's background, growing up in NJ, his interest in football with a brief brush with the NFL, his career in financial services, as well as the ups and downs of raising five children, including two with Autism. We also learn about their deep faith and commitment to their marriage and family as well as the vision they have for the Seat At The Table Foundation, a non-profit to serve those with different abilities. It’s a uplifting as well as insightful story and one we’ll hear this week on the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Facebook Page - https://m.facebook.com/A-Seat-at-t

Our guest this week is Sarah Putt of Seattle, WA, the mother of young child, the founder and clinical director of Sarah Bryan Therapy, and Creator/Host of the OT 4 Lyfe Podcast, dedicated to promoting and bringing awareness to the field of occupational therapy. We’ll learn about Sarah's background with degrees in psychology from Pepperdine University and masters in occupational therapy from University of Southern California, which prepared her for a career as an occupational therapist. We also learn about her role as a leader in the OT field, which includes mentoring younger OTs and hosting the OT4Lyfe Podcast, now with more than 100 episodes. It’s a uplifting as well as insightful story and one we’ll hear this week on the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahputt/Email - [email protected] Bryan Therapy – https://sarahbryantherapy.com OT4Lyfe Website - https://ot4lyfe.com Special Fathers Network - SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers ra

Our guest this week is Chris Velona of North Los Angeles, CA. Chris and his x-wife, Teresa, are the proud parents of two boys; Gage (16) and Sebastian (18), who was diagnosed with Batten Disease CLN8, a rare neurodegenerative disorder. We’ll learn about Chris' journey, which includes his own battle with alcoholism, shouldering the Batten Disease diagnosis, and creating Project Sebastian, a non-profit to support families touched by Batten Disease and rare disease. We also learn about a number of organizations that have played an influential role in their lives, including: Charlotte & Gwyneth Gray Foundation, the Batten Disease Support & Research Association, and Sebastian Velona Foundation, started by Teresa Fox, Sebastian's mom. It’s a fascinating story and one we’ll hear this week on the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophervelona/ Email- [email protected] Project Sebastian – https://www.projectsebastian.org Phone – (661) 414-4856Ch