In this heartfelt episode of It Happened To Me, we’re turning the microphone inward as co-host Beth Glassman interviews her co-host and dear friend, Cathy Gildenhorn. Cathy shares her deeply personal journey through family planning, recurrent miscarriages, and adoption, offering hope and guidance to listeners navigating similar challenges.

Cathy’s story is one of resilience, love, and the transformative power of creating a family through adoption. From the emotional toll of miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies to the joy of welcoming her children into her life, Cathy provides an honest and inspiring look at her path to motherhood.

• The emotional and physical challenges of recurrent pregnancy loss (miscarriages)
• Understanding ectopic pregnancies and the medical procedures involved
• The role of hormones in fertility treatments and their potential health risks
• Deciding to pursue adoption: expectations, processes, and challenges
• Choosing an adoption agency and navigating the legal requirements
• Sharing adoption stories with children and discussing birth parents
• Reflections on the adoption experience and advice for others

Cathy’s openness and compassion shine through as she discusses how her experiences have shaped her perspective on family and advocacy. Whether you’re considering adoption, struggling with infertility, or simply looking for an inspiring story, this episode is a must-listen.

• Gladney Center for Adoption
• National Council for Adoption
• The Barker Adoption Foundation
• It Happened To Me’s Episode #41 Colleen Gioffreda also shares her experience adopting children and helping other kids be placed with families.

Stay tuned for the next new episode of “It Happened To Me”! In the meantime, you can listen to our previous episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “It Happened To Me”.

“It Happened To Me” is created and hosted by Cathy Gildenhorn and Beth Glassman. DNA Today’s Kira Dineen is our executive producer and marketing lead. Amanda Andreoli is our associate producer. Ashlyn Enokian is our graphic designer.

See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, ItHappenedToMePod.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to ItHappenedToMePod@gmail.com.

In this episode of It Happened To Me, co-hosts Beth Glassman and Cathy Gildenhorn sit down with Laura Bonnell, a seasoned journalist with 25 years of experience in Detroit, founded The Bonnell Foundation in 2010 after her daughters, Molly and Emily, were born with cystic fibrosis (CF). Despite having ten siblings between them, Laura and her husband, Joe, had no idea they were carriers of the disease, as no one else in either family had been diagnosed with CF.

Driven by her personal experience and professional expertise, Laura used her platform as a reporter to raise awareness about CF. Before establishing The Bonnell Foundation, she actively raised funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, participating in the Great Strides Walk fundraisers and speaking at CFF events. Bonnell also organized events like the first Celebrity Softball game with the Detroit Tigers’ wives and launching the "Portraits of Cystic Fibrosis" calendars in 2003—both of which are integral to The Bonnell Foundation's fundraising efforts today.

Through her foundation, Laura continues to advocate tirelessly for those affected by CF, leveraging her journalistic skills to amplify the cause and support the CF community.

• Understanding Cystic Fibrosis: What it is, how it affects the body, and the daily medical routines required to manage it.
• Personal Journey: Laura’s experience with her daughters’ diagnoses and the challenges her family faced.
• Advocacy Through Journalism: How Laura’s skills as a journalist influenced her podcast, Living With Cystic Fibrosis, and her advocacy work.
• The Bonnell Foundation: From organizing the first Celebrity Softball game with the Detroit Tigers’ wives to producing the "Portraits of Cystic Fibrosis" calendars, Laura discusses her foundation’s mission and impact.
• Challenges and Progress: The evolving landscape of CF treatment, including the life-changing potential of medications like Trikafta.
• Community Support: How The Bonnell Foundation helps families navigate life with CF and fosters a sense of connection.

• The Bonnell Foundation
• The Bonnell Foundation Facebook
• The Bonnell Foundation X
• The Bonnell Foundation Instagram
• Living With Cystic Fibrosis Podcast

Stay tuned for the next new episode of “It Happened To Me”! In the meantime, you can listen to our previous episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “It Happened To Me”.

“It Happened To Me” is created and hosted by Cathy Gildenhorn and Beth Glassman. DNA Today’s Kira Dineen is our executive producer and marketing lead. Amanda Andreoli is our associate producer. Ashlyn Enokian is our graphic designer.

See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, ItHappenedToMePod.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to ItHappenedToMePod@gmail.com.

In this episode of It Happened To Me, we’re honored to welcome Sam Ahlstrom, father to Zoey, a remarkable young girl living with Rett syndrome. Sam shares his family’s journey from diagnosis to advocacy, offering an inspiring look into how they’ve transformed challenges into opportunities for connection and innovation.

Rett syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that impacts nearly every aspect of life, from mobility to communication. Sam recounts his family’s experience navigating this complex condition, from recognizing the early signs to adapting their daily routines. He also discusses the emotional and practical hurdles they faced as parents and how they found strength through community and creativity.

• What is Rett syndrome? Sam explains the condition and its impact on individuals like Zoey.
• The diagnostic journey: How Sam and his wife Sarah discovered Zoey’s condition and adapted to the new challenges it brought.
• Creating connection during isolation: The inspiration behind the pRETTy happy. podcast, which became a lifeline for their family and others during the pandemic.
• Innovative solutions for complex needs: Sam shares the mission of pRETTy happy. place, the company he and Sarah founded to develop adaptive equipment and toys that bring joy and independence to individuals with complex medical needs.
• Building a community: Sam reflects on the importance of connection and support for families navigating rare diseases like Rett syndrome.

1. The power of resilience: How Sam’s family turned challenges into opportunities for advocacy and innovation.
2. The importance of community: Building connections with others who understand the journey can make all the difference.
3. Creativity in action: How pRETTy happy. place is making life easier and more joyful for families like theirs.

• Listen to the pRETTy happy podcast
• Check out pRETTy happy place’s shop
• pRetty happy place’s Ep 23 and Ep 24 with Colleen English

Stay tuned for the next new episode of “It Happened To Me”! In the meantime, you can listen to our previous episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “It Happened To Me”.

“It Happened To Me” is created and hosted by Cathy Gildenhorn and Beth Glassman. DNA Today’s Kira Dineen is our executive producer and marketing lead. Amanda Andreoli is our associate producer. Ashlyn Enokian is our graphic designer.

See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, ItHappenedToMePod.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to ItHappenedToMePod@gmail.com.