Question 1: What impact has LEND had on you thus far/what have you learned?
The impact LEND has had on my personal and professional growth is unmeasurable. Coming into LEND, I had little experience with working with children and families living with a developmental disabilities. Therefore, the confidence level in my skills was very low. Through LEND, I have learned more about how to better communicate, what resources can best serve these families, and in what areas improvements still need to be made. I have also gained a new perspective into the challenges, barriers and stressors faced by children with developmental disabilities and their families and how we, as medical professionals and allies, can better help.

Question 2: How will you use what you are learning now in LEND in your future/future plans?
As a social worker, I work with a wide range of patients, some of whom have been diagnosed with developmental disabilities. I believe that LEND has given me a great foundation for knowing how to best serve these patients. The biggest thing I plan to take away from LEND and my time in the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics is the resources that I have learned about. I now feel more confident in my ability to direct families on where to go to access wrap arounds services for their child and support for themselves.

Question 1: What impact has LEND had on you thus far/what have you learned?
LEND has made me feel secure in the choices I have made for my children up to this point, regarding their care. It has also made me feel like I am not alone in the process of accessing services for my children. It has also made me truly admire the powerhouses of women I’ve had the pleasure of training besides this year. I have learned that no matter how different the disorder each family may be facing, its the approach, and the support, which makes things better for your child/children. 
 
Question 2: How will you use what you are learning now in LEND in your future/future plans?
I hope to continue working in advocacy for families and their children. I have applied to the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati for the Early Matters Coordinator position. I would like to help guide families through the resource process. I just want the opportunity to share what I’ve learned to make someone else’s life better.

Question 1: What impact has LEND had on you thus far/what have you learned?
LEND has given me a holistic view on individuals with developmental disabilities. LEND has taught me to not only look at their speech and language, but the other components that makes our kids the unique kids they are. 

Question 2: How will you use what you are learning now in LEND in your future/future plans?
I plan to use my LEND knowledge to work with families and other healthcare professionals to provide the most comprehensive care possible. LEND has provided the opportunity to work as a team to treat each child. I have seen how holistic care can benefit the families we see firsthand. 

Question 1: What impact has LEND had on you thus far/what have you learned?
LEND has been one of the best experiences of my life thus far. It has taught me so much for than I believe it intended to. I have learned team communication, multidisciplinary thinking, patience, humility, understanding, and above all how to respect all walks of life.
 
Question 2: How will you use what you are learning now in LEND in your future/future plans?
In my future practice as a pediatric audiologist, I will be use all the lessons LEND has taught me to serve the patient and their family as a whole unit. I will see beyond their label. I will meet them where they are ready. I will serve them with patience, understanding, and respect. 

Question 1: What impact has LEND had on you thus far/what have you learned?
I think the LEND experience allows me to be more aware of instances where access is limited or the environment is not set up to support all individuals. I was in my son’s IEP meeting recently and I noticed the loud bells that screamed through the intercom to signify a class period end. I spoke up and asked if the volume of the bells could be lowered in the MD classroom. Even though my son is not bothered by loud noises, I understood how traumatic this could be for others. This small instance is just one example of how my training has allowed me to notice issues I might have missed before.

Question 2: How will you use what you are learning now in LEND in your future/future plans?
LEND’s program focuses on leadership in the area of developmental disabilities. This year of study has come at the perfect time for me because I am president of the newly formed Smith-Kingsmore Sydrome Foundation, a nonprofit created to support children with this rare genetic anomaly as well as their families. Many children with SKS have seizures and sleep issues in addition to other developmental challenges. Our foundation is committed to spread awareness as well as funding to support medical research and collaboration among medical professionals to help improve the children’s quality of life.

My goal for the future is to continue to identify future leaders within the Smith-Kingsmore Syndrome community and to identify opportunities for them to shine in their areas of expertise. I wish to lead Smith-Kingsmore Syndrome Foundation with love and kindness. The organization’s mission is larger than what one person can achieve alone and it’s not about one person’s success anyway, because then that’s ego. So my main goal is to create systems within our nonprofit that emphasize a culture of working towards the greater good. LEND has given me a lot of in-class information, as well as books and group work opportunities to help me achieve these ends.

Question 1: What impact has LEND had on you thus far/what have you learned?
LEND has helped me to better understand how different disciplines interact to provide the best patient-centered care. I know more about my role as a future speech-language pathologist, the roles of related professionals and providers, and the resources that are available in the community. 
 
Question 2: How will you use what you are learning now in LEND in your future/future plans?
I can now advocate for my patients on a greater level, act as a stronger team member and leader, and apply my evaluation skills and knowledge to provide culturally-competent, patient-centered care in my everyday practice as a speech-language pathologist.

Question 1: What impact has LEND had on you thus far/what have you learned?
LEND has been an incredible experience filled with wonderful classmates and faculty. I have learned so much about other allied health disciplines and how my work in physical therapy can support them. I have particularly enjoyed the leadership seminar and learning how we can all be leaders within allied health and our community.
 
Question 2: How will you use what you are learning now in LEND in your future/future plans?
I will use what I have learned in LEND going forward to serve children with disabilities and their families. The insight we have gained through the family trainees has been so valuable and has made a huge impact on my approach to family-centered care. I also hope to utilize the training that we have had centered on leadership and policy to one day hold a position where I can influence healthcare policy that impacts the pediatric population and their families. 

Question 1: What impact has LEND had on you thus far/what have you learned?
LEND has truly been a pivotal moment in my personal and professional life. I believe that I have grown most in family-centered care and my ability to perspective take. Though I cannot fully understand, LEND has taught me to consider individual differences in family experiences, how this may impact access to care, and how I can prioritize recommendations accordingly. Further, LEND has taught me what it means to engage in interdisciplinary care and how important positive working relationships are. 
 
Question 2: How will you use what you are learning now in LEND in your future/future plans?
I will strive for such collaborative and interdisciplinary model in my future practice. I aim to take time to listen to each family in order to provide individuals with the best possible care rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. Finally, I will continue to grow as an advocate for and work in partnership with the underrepresented and underserved to create a more equitable society. 

Question 1: What impact has LEND had on you thus far/what have you learned?
LEND has been a unique and valuable experience for me as an occupational therapist. There is no other setting or job where I would have been able to consult extensively with so many disciplines. Prior to LEND, I only had a general understanding of what each discipline does. This program created a setting in which health care professionals can educate one another on their scope in order to ensure best practice.
 
Question 2: How will you use what you are learning now in LEND in your future/future plans?
The in-depth knowledge on developmental disabilities and the emphasis on family-centered care have been the biggest takeaways that I will continue to utilize in my practice. Additionally, due to the emphasis on interdisciplinary care, I feel more confident in my ability to consult other disciplines and making appropriate referrals.

Question 1: What impact has LEND had on you thus far/what have you learned?
The LEND program has given me a broad range of understanding on different types of disabilities. I gained great leadership skills regarding advocacy. I have gained a better understanding of a variety of disciplines and the perspective they can have on the same patient. The program is a challenging but extremely beneficial program. Although the workload seems to be a lot it was an educational journey with many benefits.
 
Question 2: How will you use what you are learning now in LEND in your future/future plans?
Along with all of the great friends (family) that I have made in this program I will make sure to utilize my advocacy skills I have learned.