Madness of Motherhood

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What do you do when your pediatrician says that your child is a special needs child? Where do you go to get the best possible care for your beloved child?! Is our health care system today equipped to give you what you need in a timely manner?! On this week’s show, we meet two incredible moms, Allie Spangler and Rori Becker who did not know where to go to help their children. So, because of their resourcefulness and dedication to their families, created a fantastic resource for all families, BrightFeats.com.

As an educator, Rori has always loved teaching. As a nurse, Allie also loved teaching and helping others. But, when they each had children with special needs, they had a stronger desire to do something from home. Allie’s son was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome and she found herself extremely frustrated when navigating the “health care system” and did not know where to go to help her son. Her pediatrician offered names on a paper and that was it! Rori, too, experienced this similar frustration. Which therapist, which developmental pediatricians, etc should they go to for help?

It wasn’t long before the two of them had gathered quite an impressive list of referrals for the other parents in their community. They became the “Go To Women” for the neighborhood. Then, their creative wheels began turning. Rori did develop a DVD that combined yoga and pilates for children with special needs, but it wasn’t what she was looking for.

I just love Allie and Rori! They came to the studio for our interview and they truly are such genuine and loving women who with the help of their wonderful husbands have been able to make this dream of helping other families come true. Allie’s husband is the IT guy and Rori’s is the graphic designer. So, with the four of them, they are a strong “powerhouse” and the Bright Feats Directory and the website was born! Again, this is proof that it takes support of your family to make your dreams come true!

Their website is rather comprehensive and incorporates an index of providers, a blog, as well as a community forum for the parents to interact with one another. Allie’s husband did a great job with this beautiful site! You can even read the directory on the website! They are starting to develop a support group for parents soon. So, if you want to make any comments or participate in the support group, just hit the Contact Us button on their site and they’ll get back with you as soon as they can.

What Allie and Rori are looking for is to expand to other cities in Florida. Jacksonville is next in line and then, Tampa. If you would like to have Bright Feats come to your neighborhood, just contact Allie or Rori on their website. Or if you have any resources you’d like to add, also let them know.

They have already distributed with the Orange County Public Schools over 15,000 of the directories in the backpacks of their students with special needs! They envisioned it and tah dah! It’s come true! The directory comes out quarterly and can be found in pediatricians’, dentists’, therapists’ offices. Wherever you want to see it, just tell them and it’ll be there.

They are celebrating their one year anniversary soon! Happy First Anniversary to Bright Feats and the incredible resource you are to our families! Congratulations!

P.S. Also, stay tuned in June because Allie & Rori are going to start doing their very own Bright Feats Show with our Parents Everywhere Network! Listen to all the great experts they will interview and educate us on the needs and challenges families face with special needs children.

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