231 – Nelson Rascon of Tacoma, WA, Father of Three, a Licensed Realtor and Co-founder & Executive Director of Dads Move

Our guest this week is Nelson Rascon of Tacoma, WA who is the father of three, a realtor and co-founder of Dads Move – Strengthening The Roles Of Dads In Raising Their Kids With Special Needs. Nelson and his wife, JoRay, have been married for 9 years and between them are the proud parents of three children; Samantha (30) who has cognitive delays, Eric (26) who has Autism, severe Epilepsy and who is bi-polar, and Kaleb (26) who has Asperger’s and was more recently diagnosed as bi-polar too. Nelson reflects on his parents divorce, growing up without his dad, moving with

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222 – Christian Sakamoto of Ocean Shores, WA A Financial Planner & Father Of Three, Including One With Infantile Spasms

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.

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202 – Catherine Whitcher of Milwaukee, WI, Mother of Two Daughters & Nationally Recognized Expert on IEPs

Our guest this week is Catherine Whitchter of Milwaukee, WI a mother two daughters, one of whom has Epilepsy. Catherine is also one the country’s most well-respected experts on IEPs or Individual Education Plans. She is also a podcast host and has created the Master IEP Coach program. We’ll learn about her career as a Special Education teacher, growing up with a younger brother with Down syndrome and hear some sage advice on how to create win-win strategies to help your child succeed. That’s all on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Show Links:Website – https://catherinewhitcher.mykajabi.comEmail – catherine@catherinewhitcher.comLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinewhitcher/Special Education Inner

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197 – Josh LaBelle, ED at Seattle Theatre Group & Father of Two Including a Son With Extreme ADHD & Other Challenges

Our guest this week is Josh LaBelle, Executive Director of the Seattle Theatre Group, a former drummer for musicians Sam Phillips and T Bone Burnett and a father of two including son Levi (8) who has extreme ADHD and speech issues. We’ll hear Josh’s story including his own challenges with Epilepsy and how the Seattle Theatre Group runs a program to provide theatre that caters to families raising children with special needs. That’s all on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Show Links: Seattle Theater Group https://www.STGPresents.orgEmail Josh: JoshL@stgpresents.org Transcript: Tom Couch: Special thanks to Horizon Therapeutics for sponsoring the

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189 – Amjad Farah, of Livonia, MI Father Of Three Including A Son With Epilepsy & Cognitive Impairment

Our guest this week is Amjad Farah, of Livonia, MI who is a global account director at PPG. Amjad and his wife Buthayna, have been married for 27 years and are the proud parents of three children: Amal (26), Sadallah (25) and Abdullah (19) who was diagnosed with Epilepsy and moderate to severe cognitive impairment. We’ll hear Ahmad’s family story, their immigration from the West Bank in Palestine, and more this week on the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Show Links: Muhsen – https://muhsen.orgARC of NW Wayne County – https://thearcnw.orgEarly On Intervention MI – https://www.1800earlyon.orgEmail – Amjad.farah5@gmail.comLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/amjad-farah-a0975643/ Transcript: Tom Couch: Special

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186 – Mark Miller of Marietta, GA, Leadership Guru & Author, Chick-fil-A Exec, Enlightened By His Son With Cerebral Palsy & Autism

Our guest this week is Mark Miller, of Marietta, GA a self proclaimed ‘chicken salesman’ and one of the original employees at Chick-fil-A, where he has worked for more than 40 years and currently serves as Vice-President of High Performance Leadership. Mark is a best selling author or co-author of nine books with more than one million copies in print and in 25+ languages. Mark is also a well respected pubic speaker and executive coach who has had the privilege to teach and lead in not-for-profit organizations domestically and globally. Mark and his wife Donna have been married for 39 years

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149 – Felimon Hernandez of Olympia, WA Father Three Including Twins; One With Spina Bifida & The Other With Epilepsy

Our guest this week is Felimon Hernandez of Olympia, Washington. Felimon is a graphic designer and photographer. He and his wife Cecilia have three children including 8-year-old twins Lalo, has epipelsey and Adelina who has Spina Bifida. We’ll hear Felimon’s story and how he and his family have cared for the twins. That’s all on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Check out Felimon’s website: https://felimonfoto.com Washington State Fathers Network: https://fathersnetwork.org South Sound Parent to Parent program: https://www.ssp2p.org Attend the May 15th SFN Dads Virtual Conference. Register for FREE at https://www.21stCenturyDads.org. About the Special Fathers Network –SFN is a dad to dad

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120 – Mark Arnold of Bournemouth, England, Advocates For Fathers Raising Children Like His Son, Who Has Autism & Epilepsy

Our guest on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast is Mark Arnold. Mark and his wife Clare live in Bournemouth, South England and are parents to Phoebe and James, who is autistic, has epilepsy and is mostly non verbal. Mark is the director of the Urban Saints Additional Needs Ministry, hosts the Additional Needs Blogfather blog, and started an advocacy group called Dad’s File Circle. We’ll hear his story on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. LINKS-Urban Saints:  https://www.urbansaints.org/additionalneeds Additional Needs Alliance:   http://additionalneedsalliance.org.ukand https://www.facebook.com/groups/additionalneedsalliance/  The Additional Needs Blogfather:   https://theadditionalneedsblogfather.com The Dads’ Fire Circle (Founded July 2020): https://thedadsfirecircle.com and https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedadsfirecircle/ YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8sK7U6d0r_7uVmyg0yN5sQ

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032 – Special Father Bob Bjerkaas raises a child with Tourettes Syndrome and Rolandic Epilepsy

Special Father Bob Bjerkaas is David Hirsch’s guest in this Special Fathers Network Podcast. Bob and his wife Kerrie are parents of four children, Christopher, Maggie, Timmie and Nate. Christopher had previously been diagnosed with with Tourettes Syndrome at age four and Rolandic Epilepsy at age eight. Bob is a pastor at Church of the Canyon in Calabasas, California, he also has Retinitis Pigmentosa an eye disease that severely affects his vision. It’s the story of another amazing father and his family, Bob Bjerkass David Hirsch’s guest in this Special Fathers Network podcast. Transcript: Dad To Dad 32 – Special Father

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096 – Hamilton and Broadway Star Miguel Cervantes Recounts the Passing of Daughter, Adelaide, Due to Epilepsy & Infantile Spasms

We are proud to present this very special edition of the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Host David Hirsch talks to special father Miguel Cervantes. Miguel performed the lead role of Alexander Hamilton for the entire 171 week Chicago run of “Hamilton: An American Musical.” Miguel and his wife, Kelly, son Jackson and Newborn Adelaide, moved to Chicago so Miguel could take on the role of a lifetime. But soon after, Adelaide started having seizures due to a severe form of pediatric epilepsy. Tragically Adelaide passed away at age three. In this Dad to Dad Podcast, Miguel talks to

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067- Jim Abrahams found a miracle cure to stop his son’s seizures.

He’s written and directed some of the funniest movies to come out of Hollywood:Airplane and Naked Gun among them. He’s Jim Abrahams, and he’s our guest on this Dad to Dad Podcast. Jim has a son, Charlie, who at a young age was experiencing severe epileptic seizures. The medications prescribed and surgery performed by Charlie’s doctors weren’t effective, so Jim did his own research and found that a special high-fat diet might help. With the help of a dietician Charlie adopted the diet and miraculously, the seizures stopped. Hear the story of a dad taking matters into his own hands and

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