Dad to Dad 185 - Lenn Boston of Kalamazoo, MI Retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer, Father of Four Including A Child With Angelman Syndrome

Our guest this week is Leonard Boston of Kalamazoo, MI, a retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer, real estate agent, board member of Parent To Parent (P2P) USA, and father of four, including a daughter with Angelman Syndrome. Lenn and his wife, LaTrieva, have been married for 13 years and are the proud parents of four children: Kenyana (31), Ashante (28), Maleek (26) and Chloe(11), who was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome, a genetic disorder that mainly effects the nervous system. After serving 20 years in the Navy, Lenn became a real estate agent and also serves on the board of Parent To Parent (P2P) USA, a national non-profit that empowers and supports parents raising children with special needs. Lenn is also active on a local level with The Family Center For Children And Youth With Special Health Care Needs, a statewide parent-directed center within Children’s Special Health Care Services and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.It's an uplifting and inspiring story about a blended family whose young daughter with special needs has inspired them to advocate for greater parental involvement on a local and national basis. We hear the Boston family story including how they strive to push Chloe to walk and be as strong as she can. That’s all on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Show Links:FAST (Foundation For Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics) - https://cureangelman.orgAngelman Syndrome Foundation – https://www.angelman.org Parent To Parent (P2P) USA – https://www.p2pusa.orgFamily Center for Children - https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71547_35698-56603--,00.html Woods Edge Learning Center https://www.kresa.org/woodsedgeSpecial Fathers Network - SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations. Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/about-the-special-fathers-network/Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/