About Us
Parenting is hard. Parenting children with special needs and disabilities often comes with additional stresses and hardships that at times can be extremely isolating. Many families are overwhelmed with a great deal of conflicting information and no clear guidance when receiving an initial diagnosis. Parents are craving support and a reliable source of information regarding available services and resources to help navigate the special needs and disability world. Connecting with other parents and families dealing with similar struggles gives a sense of community, solidarity and hope.
That is why we formed the Ohana Vitality Center. We want to provide much needed support and connection for parents and families in our community. Our vision is to create a brick and mortar location that can serve as a vibrant gathering place where we host our programs. In the meantime, we are offering a variety of pop-up events in the Boulder-Denver area and beyond. Please check out our calendar to see the exciting events we currently offer.
Founders
Ashley Boudet & Mark Reinfeld
Our Journey: Hello friends! We have been married since 2014. In January 2016, we (Ashley :-) gave birth to our first son Sage. Our second son, River, was born in September 2018.
We began noticing that Sage was delayed in hitting some of his milestones, and after an evaluation at Children’s hospital in Denver, he received a diagnosis of Autism. Something didn't feel quite right about that diagnosis for him, and after a genetic test, it was discovered that there was something unusual with Chromosome 15- which could be Prader-Willi Syndrome or Angelman Syndrome. Based on how he was presenting, we and the lead physician at Children’s thought it was Prader-Willi. After about a year we went to the Prader-Willi clinic and the geneticist informed us that he thought it was Angelman Syndrome.
We didn't know that much about Angelman Syndrome, other than it was characterized by frequent seizures, lack of sleep, and lack of speech. In January 2020, after another genetic exam, the diagnosis of Angelman Syndrome was confirmed.
Since then we have felt the rollercoaster of emotions and cycles of grief that all parents of children with disabilities and special needs feel. Piecing together therapies, dealing with the state regarding medicaid, waivers, IEPs at the school. Attempting to inject some sense of normalcy into our lives.
To say that it has been a journey would be an understatement. It is perhaps the most defining experience of our lives. Through this journey, we have been fortunate to connect with many other parents. In 2022, Mark started offering monthly in-person dads groups with his friend Steve, whose child has Downs Syndrome. Ashley started offering monthly moms groups that include happy hours, spa days, hikes and more.
It is clear to us that what parents in our community seek more than anything else is connection and support. Allowing space for self- care. Bringing our community out of the shadows, and not being marginalized.
We are grateful for all of the joy that our children bring into our lives. It's a challenging road and we want to be able to offer as much support as possible for other parents navigating a similar landscape.
Our mission is to build community by providing connection and support for parents raising children with special needs and disabilities.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
— Margaret Mead
