Uncategorized – Page 2 – Let's Plant Houses

LPHS02E04: Theresa Reflects on the Power of Family, Community, and Down Syndrome

By Wendy Ernzen | November 12, 2024

In this heartwarming episode of Let’s Plant Houses, Theresa Gutierrez shares the beautiful story of growing up with her brother, Peter, who has Down syndrome. With a perfect mix of humor and love, Theresa reflects on the brave choice her parents made to embrace Peter’s life, defying the expert advice of the time. But that’s just the beginning—Theresa takes us on a tour of their incredible relationship and the joy Peter brings everyone around him. From his moments in the Special Olympics to the incredible community that has rallied around him and his family, this episode is a celebration of family. Listen now!

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LPHS02E03: Christa Andrews Makes Dream Family Vacations a Reality – Special Needs Included

By Wendy Ernzen | October 29, 2024

Disney vacations have become a childhood rite of passage, but for families with children who have special needs, it can feel out of reach. Enter Christa Andrews from Practically Perfect Vacations, a Certified Autism Travel Professional and a specialist with Disney and Universal resorts. In this episode, she shares how she helps families plan the vacations they’ve dreamed of. Her certification equips her to support individuals on the autism spectrum, ensuring they have a magical and stress-free experience. Tune in to learn how to make your next family getaway possible!

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LPHS02E02: No One Left Behind: Mireya Turns Love into Purpose for Young Adults with Special Needs

By Wendy Ernzen | October 15, 2024

On this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, I sit down with Mireya Martinez, a single mother who has navigated life’s challenges with grace, all while raising her two children—one of whom, Bianca, has autism. Mireya shares her story about how she turned her love and dedication into a powerful force, creating a community of support through her nonprofit, Just 4 Me. With the motto, “No young adult with special needs or disability is left behind,” Mireya’s mission is to ensure that every individual finds a place to belong. She opens up about building a space where friendships are forged, social skills are developed, and lives are transformed. Tune in for a conversation about creating community, love, and purpose.

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LPHS02E01: Kim, a mother navigating her son’s mysterious health journey with love and strength

By Wendy Ernzen | October 1, 2024

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, Kim Cascardo opens up about her son Enzo’s journey through significant medical challenges since infancy. Although Enzo remains without a formal diagnosis, his symptoms closely resemble Leigh Syndrome. Kim shares her own wisdom and how her family has come together to support Enzo through his ongoing health battles. Tune in for a powerful conversation about love, strength, and hope in the face of uncertainty.

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LPHS01E15: David with Jack is Building a Better World for Down Syndrome and Beyond

By Wendy Ernzen | July 18, 2024

David Buckley joined us to talk about his son Jack’s diagnosis of Down syndrome and the whole new world it opened up for their entire family. Not only are they creating a better life for Jack, but also for others through their involvement with some amazing organizations like the Miracle League, Gigi’s Playhouse, and Angel’s Place to name a few. Come listen to our last episode of the season.

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LPHS01E14: Joel and Debbie, creators of the Dani Plan, are simplifying caregiving and future planning

By Randy Walker | June 12, 2024

Joel and Debbie are the visionary creators of the Dani Plan, an innovative tool inspired by their eldest daughter, Dani, who has autism. The Dani Plan serves as a secure, centralized hub that organizes and consolidates all essential information needed to care for an individual with special needs. This makes caregiving more manageable and helps families plan for the future. Tune into this episode to hear about their family’s journey and their mission to simplify caregiving and future planning for families with loved ones who have special needs.

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LPHS01E13: Rachelle is a visionary committed to unyielding inclusion

By Wendy Ernzen | May 29, 2024

This week on Let’s Plant Houses, I had the privilege of interviewing Rachelle Vartanian, the founder of the Living and Learning Center in Northville, Michigan. Rachelle’s journey began with an autism diagnosis for her son. Once she understood the lack of autism resources, she leveraged her expertise as a special education professional and her dedication as a parent to create new opportunities for him and others. What started with social skills sessions at a public library has grown into the Living and Learning Center, a special and unique place that provides therapeutic, social, work-based, and community engagement for people with disabilities. Tune in to hear Rachelle’s inspiring story and her vision for the future.

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LPHS01E12: Janice and her son Micah, trailblazers who are changing the world for disabilities

By Wendy Ernzen | May 8, 2024

On this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, I am joined by Janice Fialka, a nationally-recognized lecturer, author, and advocate for families and people with disabilities, who tells her family’s origin story. Micah, her son, was born with a cognitive impairment, but that didn’t stop him from sharing and seizing his dreams. Janice recounts Micah’s pioneering path towards complete inclusion, spanning from his early education to college, work, and beyond. His journey and their collective advocacy has had a lasting impact on the entire disabilities community. You can learn more about Janice, Micah, and their work at: https://danceofpartnership.com/.

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LPHS01E11: Benji and Sarah, inspired by Ellah, are shining a light on CSS and ACC

By Wendy Ernzen | April 24, 2024

Join me on Let’s Plant Houses for a heartfelt conversation with Benji and Sarah as they reflect on their family’s extraordinary journey with their daughter, Ellah. Born with Coffin-Siris Syndrome (CSS) as well as a rare defect, Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (ACC), Ellah faces unique health and developmental hurdles. Yet her resilience and push to be understood has created remarkable communication breakthroughs. Benji and Sarah delve into this story and more as well as their own incredible advocacy that has brought awareness of this rare condition to our local communities and beyond.

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LPHS01E10: What’s available in our local community? A resource roundup with Wendy Ernzen

By Wendy Ernzen | April 11, 2024

We covered a lot of ground with the first nine episodes of Let’s Plant Houses. On this 10th episode, I am a sharing a Top 10 List of resources mentioned in our stories in just 15 minutes. This episode is perfect for parents, caregivers, and professionals who are looking to learn about what’s available in our local area and why they might want to reach out to learn more.

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