Dini Rao, mom to Ayoni (8, living with PWS) hosted a very successful United We Brunch fundraiser for PWS Awareness Month. Desi Tea for Prader-Willi was on May 4th at the Rao home in Maryland. Neighbors, community members, and local PWS families gathered together for samosas, pakoras, chai, PWS awareness, and community.
“When we first considered hosting a United for Brunch event, I wasn’t sure. This is such a busy time of year and I couldn’t wrap my head around a way to do it. Then it occurred to me that this was classic community organizing – bringing people together over a shared cause. By making it an Indian tea, it felt authentic to host and bring my friends together in community. I invited some of my local PWS friends to share their experiences and in the end it felt like just the support, celebration and significance I wanted to bring to PWS Awareness Month. We had over 50 people attend and I feel we met our goal of creating more awareness and empathy for those living with Prader Willi Syndrome. I’m so grateful I had the chance to host, as it truly filled my cup!” – Dini Rao
Thank you to Dini and her family for hosting a beautiful event. Thank you to the PWS families who showed up to share their stories and support. And thank you to the friends and neighbors who came to be a part of PWS Awareness.
You can check out other upcoming United We Brunch events at United We Brunch – Campaign
Jennifer Bolander has been serving as a Special Education Specialist for PWSA (USA) since October of 2015. She is a graduate of John Carroll University and lives in Ohio with her husband Brad and daughters Kate (17), and Sophia (13) who was born with PWS.
Perry A. Zirkel has written more than 1,500 publications on various aspects of school law, with an emphasis on legal issues in special education. He writes a regular column for NAESP’s Principal magazine and NASP’s Communiqué newsletter, and he did so previously for Phi Delta Kappan and Teaching Exceptional Children.
Evan has worked with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (USA) since 2007 primarily as a Crisis Intervention and Family Support Counselor. Evans works with parents and schools to foster strong collaborative relationships and appropriate educational environments for students with PWS.
Dr. Amy McTighe is the PWS Program Manager and Inpatient Teacher at the Center for Prader-Willi Syndrome at the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Duquesne University receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education with a focus on elementary education, special education, and language arts.
Staci Zimmerman works for Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Colorado as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) consultant. Staci collaborates with the PWS multi-disciplinary clinic at the Children’s Hospital in Denver supporting families and school districts around the United States with their child’s Individual Educational Plan.
Founded in 2001, SDLC is a non-profit legal services organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the legal rights of people with disabilities throughout the South. It partners with the Southern Poverty Law Center, Protection and Advocacy (P&A) programs, Legal Services Corporations (LSC) and disability organizations on major, systemic disability rights issues involving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the federal Medicaid Act. Recently in November 2014, Jim retired.