Once Upon A Gene

Latest Episodes:

My Pfeiffer Pfamily Dec 26, 2019

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ONCE UPON A GENE - EPISODE 010

My Pfeiffer Pfamily

Synthiea Kaldi was the first person I knew to call when I was told something was wrong with Ford. I admire her so much and would be lost without her humor and understanding. Finding someone like Synthiea, someone who lives with a lot of hard stuff but can also find the humor in it, is a really valuable resource for your mental health and general outlook. It's not easy being a parent, especially when your child has a complex medical need. Synthiea is further ahead in this unplanned detour along a dirt road with a lot of potholes and I'm constantly learning from her. It's impossible not to feel the light that radiates from her and I'm excited to share our conversation about her beautiful daughter and their experience with Pfeiffer Syndrome so far. Today we're talking about Mallory, Sythiea's little girl.

CONNECT WITH SYNTHIEA

Synthiea Kaldi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skaldi

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The Fathers Network Dec 19, 2019

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ONCE UPON A GENE - EPISODE 009

The Washington State Fathers Network

Along my own journey, I've felt passionate about capturing the perspective of fathers, grandfathers and other male caregivers. As moms, we may have an easier time connecting with other moms at therapy, school and on social media. My husband, a father with a child with complex needs has had a different experience than I have. I want to ensure we're both taking care of ourselves individually. I'm constantly reading Facebook posts about moms wishing there was someone for their husbands to talk to about their child with healthcare needs.

Louis Mendoza, the Manager of The Washington State Fathers Network, is helping to give a powerful voice to men who have children with healthcare needs. Some of his work involves connecting men with each other socially, providing them with resources, telling their story, advocating for change and promoting inclusion in their communities.

CONNECT WITH LOUIS

Kindering Center

Address: 19801 North Creek Pkwy, Bothell, WA 98011

Phone: (425) 653-4286

Email: louis.mendoza@kindering.org

Fathers Network on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FathersNetworkWA/

Kindering on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KinderingCenter/

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED

Kindering

Kindering Sibling Support

The Arc of King County

Parent to Parent Program

Special Olympics

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Heartism Dec 12, 2019

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ONCE UPON A GENE - EPISODE 008

Heartism of the Bitterroot

My guest today is a pillar in her community, starting an inclusive community center called Heartism Community Center, offering kids of any ability free cooking classes, art classes, yoga classes and more.

Jessica Fitzpatrick is the Founder and Director of Heartism Community Center and Bitterroot Arts for Autism, a Seattle non-profit serving special needs children and families. Her background is Therapeutics in Recreation and Psychology with a Bachelor of Science and a passion for understanding the world in a new way as an autism advocate/activist. Jessica’s daughter, Sequoia, launched Jessica’s journey into the depths of autism and sensory processing.

I'm so grateful to have met Jessica. She is a very special person with a gentle, captivating energy that vibrates warmly around you. She's one of the first autism moms that I've chatted with for the podcast, but it's interesting that these moms have a lot in common. They're calming and soothing to be around and talk to and they inspire me. I feel so lucky to have parents like this on my team.

CONNECT WITH JESSICA

Heartism Community Center, Bitterroot Arts for Autism Facebook Page

Heartism Community Center

Address: 1120 Main Street, Corvallis, Montana 59828

Phone: (406) 210-2937

Email: bitterrootartsforautism@gmail.com

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED

Jessica Fitzpatrick: Autism and Community Inclusion TED Talk

The PLAY Project Autism Intervention Program

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