Our guest this week is John Peter (JP) Klop of Alberta, Canada who is a draftsman with JPR Industries and father of two young children including a son with Schwachman Diamond Syndrome.

JP and his wife, Lianna, have married for three years and are the proud parents of two young children: Anna (1) and Isaac (2), who has Schwachman Diamond Syndrome, which is characterized by: inability to digest food due to missing digestive enzymes, low muscle tone, anemia, skeletal findings and intellectual disability. 

JP is very open and authentic about the challenges related to SDS and his own brush with Autism that runs in his family. 
 
We’ll hear JP’s story, his commitment to family and service to others all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Notes -
Phone – (226) 231-0933
Email – [email protected]
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpeterklop/
Website –  https://shwachman-diamond.org/

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ 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.

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/videos

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/  

SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

Our guest this week is Tom Chibucos of Chicago, IL, who is a Related Service Provider Manager of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology services at Chicago Public Schools and father of two including one who is on the Autism spectrum.  

Tom and his wife, Michelle, have been married for 20 years and are the proud parents of two children; Sylvie (10) and Vincent (9), who is non-verbal and on the Autism spectrum.

Tom is also a co-founder of Pediatric Therapy Network Chicago, started in 2010 to deliver highly skilled therapeutic support to young children and families in their homes and communities so that all children can fully participate in the joys of childhood.

We’ll hear Tom’s story, his commitment to family and service to others on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Notes -
Phone – (773) 818-3491
Email – [email protected]
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaschibucos/
Website - https://www.ptnchicago.com/

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ 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.

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/videos

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/  

SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

Our guest this week is Swapna Sasidharan, of Schaumburg, IL, a Vice President of Technology at APCO Holdings, mother of two children, including one with POGZ, and founder of the Cure POGZ Disorders Foundation. 

Swapna and her husband, Sandeep, have been married for 17 years and are the proud parents of two children: daughter Sloka (12) and son Ved (10) who has POGZ, a rare genetic disorder characterized by: developmental delays, cyclic vomiting, autism, microcephaly and gastrointestinal issues.

Educated as an engineer, informed about the challenges of rare diseases and inspired to find a cure for POGZ, the rare disorder her son has, Swapna and the team at the Cure POGZ Disorders Foundation are dedicated to finding treatments and hopefully a cure for POGZ and other rare diseases.

We’ll hear all about Swapna's background growing up in a traditional Indian family, about her career, her journey as a rare disease parent, her understanding about acceptance (the difference between surrender and acknowledgement) and her enthusiasum for life on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Links
Phone – (847) 532-9808
Email – [email protected]
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/swapnasasidharan/
Website –  https://www.curepogzdisorders.org/
Daily Herald Story - https://www.dailyherald.com/20250226/news/schaumburg-moms-mission-is-to-find-cure-for-sons-rare-condition/  
IL Tech Magazine Spot Light - https://issuu.com/illinois_tech/docs/illinois_tech_magazine_spring_2025 
Kirt Consulting Blog - https://www.ronkritconsulting.com/post/the-mom-who-took-on-genetics-swapna-sasidharan-s-mission-to-cure-rare-disease
Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/people/Cure-Pogz-Disorders-Foundation/61566626403487/
Instagram Page - https://www.instagram.com/curepogzdisorders/

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ 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.

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/videos

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/  

SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

Our guest this week is David Apple of San Francisco, CA, a serial entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Shark Tooth Bio, and father of two, including a son with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease. 

David and his wife, Cristina, have married for seven years and are the proud parents of two young children: Zoe (3) and Ari (5) who was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, AKA CMT1A, a rare mono genetic disease that impairs the signal from the brain to the muscles causing weakness, loss of sensation, pain, and atrophy.   

David reflects on growing up in France and Israel.  In March 2024 and after Ari's diagnosis, with his background as an engineer and success in the business world, David shifted his primary focus to creating and building Shark Tooth Bio, a for profit organization whose mission is: developing treatments for CMT1A and unlocking solutions for other neuropathies.  To-date Shark Tooth Bio has raised $650K and has been able to assemble and first class board and contract with some of the world's top scientists. 

We also learn about David's involvement with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (CMTA). 

It's an uplifting story about commitment to family and service to others all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast. 

Show Links -
Phone – (415) 910-8647
Email – [email protected]
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/appledavid/
Website –  https://www.sharktooth.bio/
Website - https://cmtausa.org/

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ 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.

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/videos

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/  

SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

Our guest this week is Greg Corey of Highland Park, IL a wealth manager at Ameriprise Financial Services and father of three children including a son with Down Syndrome.

Greg and his wife, Carly, have been married for 10 years and are the proud parents of three children: Ashton (4), Frankie (6) and Presley (8), who has Mosaic Down syndrome, which was not detected or diagnosed until he was three years old.  

We also learn about a host of organizations that Presley has benefited from including:  

• Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA)
• Kick Start Therapeutic Day Care, and
• Gigi’s Playhouse

It's an uplifting story about commitment to family and service to others all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast. 

Show Links -
Phone - (847) 847-2134
Email – [email protected]
Email - [email protected] 
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryjcorey/
Website –  https://www.ameripriseadvisors.com/gregory.corey/

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ 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.

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/videos

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/  

SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

To celebrate the 400th episode of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast, David Hirsch, founder of 21st Century Dads Foundation and host of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast offers his heartfelt thanks to all those who have been involved with and supported 21CD & SFN.  He reflects on:

• addressing the issue of father absence in society,
• his journey as a fatherhood advocate,
• starting the Illinois Fatherhood Initiative, 
• making an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, 
• starting the 21st Century Dads Foundation, 
• Dads Honor Ride 2015 from Santa Monica to Chicago, 2,325 miles in 21 days, 
• giving a TEDx Talk entitled: Why We Need To Break The Cycle Of Father Absence, 
• writing the book: A Father's Journey To Break The Cycle Of Father Absence, 
• Dads Honor Ride 2016 from Boston to Chicago, 1,400 miles in 21 days, 
• Creating the C2EFA (Cycle To End Father Absence) indoor riding events, 
• Dads Honor Ride 2017 Around Lake Michigan, 958 miles in 9 days, 
• creating the Special Fathers Network Mentoring Program, 
• starting the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast, 
• recording 24 bi-weekly Zoom calls on various topics
• creating the 21CD YouTube channel,
• holding annual SFN Dads Virtual Conferences, 
• creating the SFN audiobook series, 
• creating the weekly virtual SFN Mastermind Group experience, and
• holding annual SFN Mastermind Group weekend retreats

Special thanks to all the individuals, businesses, and foundations that have financially supported 21CD, the growing list of partners and affiliates, all the individuals who have volunteered, especially the 21CD board of directors: Tom Costello, Rich Gathro, Gary Grube, Chris Hunter, Shane Madden, Wayne Messmer, Brian Page and John Shouse.  Special thanks to Shane Madden for creating the SFN fathers jingle at teh beginning and end of this episode.  And last but not least, Tom Couch of Couch Media, who has produced the past 398 episodes of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast. 

Show Notes –   
Email - [email protected]
Email - [email protected]
Website - https://21stcenturydads.org/  
TEDx Talk -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CDeMgmeb94

Special 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.

21CD YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@21stcenturydads58/videos

Click Here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Our guest this week is Casey Stubbs of Burlington, NC a trading specialist, author, podcast host and father to nine children. 

Casey and his wife, Deanna, have been married for 20 years and are the proud parents of nine children: twins Andrea & Courtney (26), Casey Jr (19), Caleb (17), Abbey (16), Ellie (15), Austin (14), Danielle (12) and Ethan (12).  Ellie and Danielle were adopted at age 2/12 and as a newborn and are biological sisters.

Casey has been a host of the Replace Your Income With Options Podcast and author of: The Complete Trading System: How to Develop a Mindset, Maximize Profitability, and Own Your Market Success (2023)

Casey reflects on his military experience, as well as his thoughts on investing, podcasting and fatherhood in this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Links -
Phone – (724) 493-9315
Email – [email protected]
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseystubbs/
Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ai/podcast/replace-your-income-with-options/id1364693088
Substack –  https://caseystubbs.substack.com/about
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@FreedomIncomeOptions/videos
Book – The Complete Trading System: How To Develop A Mindset, Maximize Profitability, And Own Your Market Success. https://tinyurl.com/3zn6ck3n

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ 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.

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/videos

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/  

SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Our guest this week Luba Patlakh of Bucks County, PA a mother of three children and founder of Kidology Inc., a pediatric practice specializing in speech, occupational, physical therapy, and ABA services.

Luba and her husband, Boris, have married for 10 years and are the proud parents of three children ages 4 to 9 years old. 

Founded in 2014, Kidology, Inc. a top-rated family friendly pediatric therapy and child development center in Pennsylvania, offering families and children the support and guidance they need to thrive. They provide educational services in special needs and tutoring capacities.  They offer pediatric therapy and instructive sessions like; S/T,  P/T, O/T, Behavioral and Myofunctional Therapy for a wide range of developmental delays, including fine motor, speech, feeding and mobility issues.

It's a fascinating story and on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Links 
Phone – (267) 968-1707
Email – [email protected]
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubapatlakh/
Website –  https://kidologyinc.com/

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ 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.

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/videos

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/  

SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Our guest this week is Daryl Potter of Toronto, Canada who is an executive at TD Merchants, a prolific author and father of two including a daughter with profound disabilities. 

Daryl and his wife, Carolyn, have been married for 28 years and are the proud parents of two children, Jackson (21) and McKenzie (24) who was diagnosed with Cardio Facio Cutaneous (CFC) syndrome.  Some of the challenges include; intellectual disabilities, non-verbal since age 12, being tube fed, the need for a hospital bed and being wheelchair bound.

Beyond work and being a vigilant caregiver, Daryl has nurtured his passion for writing and has found time to write and publish a number of books, including: 

• Something More: Living Well In A Broken World. (2024)  
• Bitter For Sweet (2022)
• Even The Monsters: Living With Grief, Loss and Depression: A Journey Through The Book Of Job. (2021)       
• Blind Man’s Labyrinth (2021)       
• Keziah’s Song (2021)

It’s a fascinating story about commitment and resilience all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Links
Phone – (289) 681-4521
Email – [email protected]
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/daryl-potter-8a3160/
Website –  https://www.darylpotter.com/
Books -      
Even The Monsters: Living With Grief, Loss and Depression
Something More: Living Well In A Broken World
Keziah’s Song
Blind Man’s Labyrinth
Bitter For Sweet

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ 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.

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/videos

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/  

SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Our guest this week is Olivier Cortambert of London, UK who is head of solutions architecture at Yospace and father of a son with a rare undiagnosed disease.

Olivier and his wife, Feng, have been married for seven years and are the proud parents of Antoine (3) who has a genetically tested undiagnosed disease, which presents with; low muscle tone, hearing loss, non-verbal as well as difficulty swallowing and walking.     

We learn about Small Steps, a UK based agency that provides free services to those who are unable to walk and the pros and cons of having an undiagnosed rare disease.  We also learn about Olivier's involvement with the SFN Mastermind Group.  

The Cortambert family story is one filled with hope and optimism all this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Notes -
WhatsApp – +44 7801 120520
Email – [email protected]
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cortambert/

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ 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.

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/videos

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/  

SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/