Breaking Barriers. Growing Our Community. Lighting the Way.

The best advice I can give to any parent or caregiver is to TRUST YOUR GUT. You know your child better than anyone else. And if something seems off, it probably is. Long before we had an official diagnosis, I knew in my gut that our family was different from the majority. It was generally chalked up to me being a first-time parent, an over-worrier, or what my husband lovingly refers to me as—a “wart.” But deep down, I knew it was more than that. When I observed the families

We have two sons, just 14 months apart in age. When our oldest son, “M,” was six months old, I found out I was pregnant again. We had struggled for years to conceive our first child, so I never expected that we would have another. When I learned I was pregnant, my head immediately began to swirl with questions. Had I given M enough of me before welcoming his little brother, “O,” into the world? Had I given him enough of my time, attention, love, and experiences? That question

To sum it up, I’ve been “there”—and I’m still “in it.” But it’s not just me. It’s my family of 4. Where is “there”? It’s understanding the unique challenges that come with raising a child with additional needs. It’s navigating a road for which there is no user manual, no clear map of what to expect, and often no obvious place to turn for help. Although children may share the same or similar diagnosis, no two people—and no two stories—are identical. Yet, as parents and caregi