In this inspiring episode, host Toni Paes sits down with Jana Brown, mom to 29-year-old Jared —one of the oldest known individuals living with CTNNB1 syndrome. Jana shares her family’s decades-long journey from early misdiagnoses to finally finding answers, the power of persistence, and the lessons learned along the way. From the impact of deep brain stimulation and service dogs to the importance of advocating for your child and yourself, Jana’s story is filled with resilience, humo...

In this episode of the CTNNB1 Connect & Cure podcast, host Toni Paes welcomes back Fraser Bridgeman to delve into discussions about Methylene Blue and its potential benefits for individuals with CTNNB1-related conditions. Fraser shares insights from her personal experience as a parent and Integrative Health Practitioner, highlighting how various therapies, including red light therapy and supplements, can support mitochondrial function and alleviate some symptoms. The conversation also tou...

President of CTNNB1 Connect & Cure, Emily Amerson and Toni sat down to discuss all the details of the 2025 CTNNB1 Connect & Cure Conference in Boston, Massachusetts happening on July 10 - 12. Listen in to hear all the information on what to expect at the conference. They discuss the agenda, childcare, activities, meals, research opportunities and where to get more information. Conference Website: 2025 CTNNB1 Conference – CTNNB1 Connect & Cure Research Website: Participat...

Welcome Crawford McWilliams, our new CTNNB1 Connect & Cure Director of Fundraising. In this episode we get to know Crawford and her family, including her dragonfly Shreve. We discuss her fundraising efforts so far with CTNNB1, as well as some great ideas she has for future endeavors. https://www.curectnnb1.org/ #raredisease #syndrome

Megan Stanley is a Pediatric Speech and Language Pathologist, as well as mom to dragonfly Lilliana. With her unique perspective as both a clinician and a parent, Megan brings a heartfelt and informed voice to our community. In this episode, she shares her family’s journey with CTNNB1, and how her professional background in speech therapy has shaped her approach to care and advocacy. MeganStanley392@gmail.com https://youtu.be/b8lCCPP_s1Y?si=eURpndBKux_zuIu1 https://www.curectnn...

Bella recently completed a 3-week Intensive Therapy session at the JD McCarty Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Dan and Toni discuss the experience and what it was like for anyone else who may be interested. They also discuss some additional resources for therapies. Intensive Therapy Links Private Facebook Group: Pediatric Therapies Intensive Connections Therapy Intensives in the USA - Google Drive Therapy Intensive Funding Organizations in the USA Therapy Intensive Housing in the USA - Goo...

Caitlin Powderly is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and mom to Tyler, who has CTNNB1 syndrome. She and I talked about how Tyler came into her life, and the impact that has had on her professional life. She explained what types of things to look for in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy and red flags to look for. Caitlin also provided some helpful resources for families who are dealing with self-injurious behaviors in their children. If you have questions, Caitlin is happy to he...

Ashley Swift is the Chief Communications Officer for CTNNB1 Connect & Cure, as well as mom to dragonfly Evelyn. In October of 2024, Ashley was able to attend the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) Breakthrough Summit in Washington, DC. She shared with me her experience at the conference, as well as the impact families make when they provide data for our Natural History Study. Home - NORD Rare Summit https://www.curectnnb1.org/ #raredisease #syndrome

So many of our kids have a common connection, CTNNB1, but many of our kids have more than just CTNNB1. I interview Kelley Merwin about her son's multiple diagnosis and what she does for self-care. Kelley talks about the process she went through to find her son's diagnosis and also how his other diagnosis have come into play with caring for her son. Take a listen as Kelley shares the story of how she manages her son's needs and also her own. https://www.curectnnb...

Annie, Dan and I were able to take a little time to catch up before the holidays start. We reflect on what makes Thanksgiving different with our CTNNB1 children and how we navigate that. We also spent some time talking about what we are thankful for this year. Our kids allow for a unique view of the world around us and we feel grateful to experience it with them. Please enjoy our Thanksgiving Episode. https://www.curectnnb1.org/ #raredisease #syndrome

Every year Global Genes hosts a Week in RARE, which combines the RARE Health Equity Forum and RARE Advocacy Summit. This conference gathers and engage rare disease advocates and leaders in the same space for conversation. This year's conference was in Kansas City, MO. I had the privilege of volunteering at the CTNNB1 Connect & Cure booth, to share information about CTNNB1 syndrome with attendees. Also attending this year was Ashley Hamic. Ashley is a CTNNB1 mom, an advocate and fou...

Many of us with children in the US school system have probably heard the term IEP. This Individualized Education Program (IEP), regulated by the US Department of Education, is for each public-school child who receives special education and related services. IEPs can be intimidating, and it can be difficult to know all of our rights as caregivers. I sat down to talk with CTNNB1 mom and Educational Diagnostician, Keely Ward to learn more. She dives into the process of requesting and...

Welcome back to the Connect and Cure Podcast! I’m thrilled to have you here today. Producing this podcast has been a deeply rewarding journey, however it’s a lot to do alone. To make sure I’m bringing you the best content and perspectives, I’ve spent the past few months reaching out to parents in our community who can bring their valuable insights to the show. I’m beyond excited to introduce you to our two new team members today. Toni and Dan are both passionate, dedicated, and ready to share...

Shortly after Preston’s diagnosis I learned about Sibshops. Sibshops are in person or virtual events where special needs siblings will meet other sibs, have fun, laugh, talk about the good and not-so-good parts of having a sib with special needs, play some great games, learn something about the services their brothers and sister receive, and have some more fun. During Covid I had the opportunity to take the facilitator training and have since started Sibshops in our area locally. It's a...

If you are on Facebook or Instagram I am sure you have seen many of our CTNNB1 children at NAPA, but if any of you are like me you’ve wondered what is it? What do they do there? How do I get my child there? NAPA stands for Neurological and Physical Abilitation Center. They have several locations across the US in Los Angeles, Boston, Austin, Denver, and Chicago. They also have locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and London. If you check out their website, you’ll learn NAPA is dedi...

Today I sat down to talk with Jenny, CTNNB1 mom of Miles. They were given the opportunity to build not only an accessible home for their son, but a forever home for themselves. I think this is incredible because I’ve recently learned, according to the CDC, 27% of Americans alone live with a disability, a majority requiring the use of a wheelchair or other mobility device. How amazing would it be to build a home where everyone is welcome? But where would you start? If you can’t build, could yo...

We all know we won’t be able to keep pushing forward without funding, but it’s not always something fun or easy to talk about. If you are looking to start a fundraiser, listen in for some ideas. If it’s not your time, don’t worry, we understand. And if you have already done a fundraiser or donated to someone else's', thank you! Lindsay Stevens, CTNNB1 mom of Lark, shares her fundraising expertise with us today. Please reach out to her directly for any questions or help lindsayannsteven...

Tony and Natasha King spoke at our CTNNB1 conference last month. One of the topics that piqued a lot of interest was Tony Jr.’s diet and exercise program. In this episode, the Kings share how they took Tony Jr. to an Integrated Medicine doctor to get some help with his diet. We are lucky to have Fraser Bridgeman, CTNNB1 mom and Health Recovery Coach, in our community. She has offered to help our CTNNB1 families with food sensitivity testing. It is done at home with a finger prick, and i...

We are just a few short days away from the CTNNB1 Connect and Cure Research Conference at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. So today I checked in with organizer Lauren Cochran to get any last minute details. All the information you need can be found HERE so make sure you check it out. This includes the agenda for the day- let me just say, our speaker line up is phenomenal, including Dr. Wendy Chung, from Columbia, and Dr. Michele Jacob from Tufts University. Also provided are maps, info...

There are so many things going on in our CTNNB1 community. Board member, Emily Amerson, discusses many things she has been working on and involved with. I don't think there is one thing this momma can't do. She has pushed us forward with our website and social media, and she's working on so many different projects and ideas- a welcome letter, brochure, Ciitizen, and Probably Genetic, just to name a few. You can definitely tell serving our CTNNB1 community is her new found passion and purpose,...