Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs (41 page)

Jack Canfield
The Canfield Companies
P.O. Box 30880 • Santa Barbara, CA 93130
phone: 805-563-2935 • fax: 805-563-2945
E-mail: [email protected]
www.jackcanfield.com

Who Is Mark Victor Hansen?

In the area of human potential, no one is more respected than Mark Victor Hansen. For more than thirty years, Mark has focused solely on helping people from all walks of life reshape their personal vision of what’s possible. His powerful messages of possibility, opportunity, and action have created powerful change in thousands of organizations and millions of individuals worldwide.

He is a sought-after keynote speaker, bestselling author, and marketing maven. Mark’s credentials include a lifetime of entrepreneurial success and an extensive academic background. He is a prolific writer with many bestselling books, such as
The One Minute Millionaire, Cracking the Millionaire Code, How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life, The Power of Focus, The Aladdin Factor,
and
Dare to Win,
in addition to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Mark has had a profound influence on many people through his library of audios, videos, and articles in the areas of big thinking, sales achievement, wealth building, publishing success, and personal and professional development.

Mark is the founder of the MEGA Seminar Series. MEGA Book Marketing University and Building Your MEGA Speaking Empire are annual conferences where Mark coaches and teaches new and aspiring authors, speakers, and experts on building lucrative publishing and speaking careers. Other MEGA events include MEGA Info-Marketing and My MEGA Life.

He has appeared on
Oprah,
CNN, and
The Today Show
. He has been quoted in
Time, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, New York Times,
and
Entrepreneur
. In countless radio interviews, he has assured our planet’s people that “you can easily create the life you deserve.”

As a philanthropist and humanitarian, Mark works tirelessly for organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, March of Dimes, Childhelp USA, and many others. He is the recipient of numerous awards that honor his entrepreneurial spirit, philanthropic heart, and business acumen. He is a lifetime member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, an organization that honored Mark with the prestigious Horatio Alger Award for his extraordinary life achievements.

Mark Victor Hansen is an enthusiastic crusader of what’s possible and is driven to make the world a better place.

Mark Victor Hansen & Associates, Inc.
P.O. Box 7665 • Newport Beach, CA 92658
phone: 949-764-2640 • fax: 949-722-6912
website:
www.markvictorhansen.com

Who Is Heather McNamara?

Heather joined the Chicken Soup family in 1996. After ten years she left her role as senior editor but has continued to “coauthor” many titles in the Chicken Soup series.

Today Heather lives in a rural outpost of the San Fernando Valley, where she shares her life with her husband, Rick, and daughter, Kyla. They enjoy the panoramic view of the valley, her garden, and two dogs—both adopted strays. This year has been especially exciting with the addition of two nephews and one niece.

Heather felt sheer joy by being part of such a rewarding experience. The website
www.soulsupporter.com
, was dreamed of one night after reading so many of the stories that were submitted for this book. Heather noted that many of the parents of children with disabilities lamented that their child had never been invited to a birthday party, and so an idea was born to help these families connect both universally or locally.

Heather coauthored
Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul, Chicken Soup for Every Mom’s Soul,
and
Chicken Soup for the Sister’s Soul,
and is currently working on a book for adults with disabilities.

While enjoying her role as full-time mom to Kyla and working on her next Chicken Soup title, she is also a partner in Balance Day Spa in Santa Monica along with her sister Katy.

You can reach Heather at: [email protected]. Or visit her website at
www.soulsupporter.com
.

Who Is Karen Simmons?

Karen Simmons is the founder and CEO of Autism Today, a world leader in autism information and resources featuring experts like Dr. Temple Grandin and more. Autism Today also integrates theories and practices that benefit the autism spectrum into other special needs communities, such as Down syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, non verbal learning disorder, Tourette syndrome, and fetal alcohol syndrome.

The Autism Today website provides online support to millions of parents, caregivers, therapists, educators, para-professionals, community members, and those living on the autism and special-needs spectrum. Resources include books, CDs, audio seminars, teleseminars, and webinars, as well as access to worldwide conferences and workshops. It also hosts a membership-based community for blogs, pod-casts, and forums.

Karen’s book,
The Official Autism 101 Manual,
is winner of the 2007 Independent Publisher Book Gold Medal Award (IPPY) in the health, medicine, and nutrition category. Her other books include
Little Rainman, The Autism Experience, Artism,
and
Surrounded by Miracles.
Her CDs include
Peace of Mind for Autism
and
Autism from the Soul.

Karen presents internationally to universities, schools, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, and parent groups. She is the founder of the nonprofit KEEN Education Foundation designed to enhance education for children.

Karen’s passion for those with autism and special needs comes from her own experience as the parent of six children, two with special needs. She makes her home in Alberta, Canada, with her husband, Jim Sicoli, and their six children, Kimberly, Matthew, Christina, Jonathan, Stephen, and Alexander.

Visit Karen’s websites to receive gifts and your free membership package.

Presenting Today Seminars:
Making the World a Better Place
phone: 780-482-1555 • fax: 780-452-1098
www.karensimmons.com
and
www.autismtoday.com

PERMISSIONS

We would like to acknowledge the following publishers and individuals for permission to reprint the following material. (Note: The stories that were written by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Heather McNamara or Karen Simmons are not included in this listing.)

See Me.
Reprinted by permission of Melissa Riggio with Rachel Buchholz/National Geographic Image Collection. ©2006Melissa Riggio with Rachel Buchholz/National Geographic Image Collection.

Welcome to Holland.
Reprinted by permission of Emily Perl Kingsley. ©1987 Emily Perl Kingsley.

In the Game.
Reprinted by permission of Stephanie D. Thompson. ©2005 Stephanie D. Thompson.

A Message from John.
Reprinted by permission of Joanne Elizabeth Clancy. ©2000 Joanne Elizabeth Clancy.

The Miracle of Jay-Jay.
Reprinted by permission of Louise Tucker Jones. ©1985 Louise Tucker Jones.

Out of the Mouths of Babes.
Reprinted by permission of Sarah Elizabeth Smigal. ©2006 Sarah Elizabeth Smigal.

Tomorrow.
Reprinted by permission of Jill Ann Presson. ©2006 Jill Ann Presson.

No Words.
Reprinted by permission of Stacey Marie Flood. ©2000 Stacey Marie Flood.

Seeing Through Josh’s Eyes.
Reprinted by permission of Deborah Colleen Rose. ©2006 Deborah Colleen Rose.

The Voice of Reason Wears SpongeBob Underpants.
Reprinted by permission of Shari Madonna Youngblood. ©2006 Shari Madonna Youngblood.

One Mother to Another.
Reprinted by permission of Donna Marie Turenne. ©1999 Donna Marie Turenne.

Reaching Back.
Reprinted by permission of Pamela Marie Wilson. ©1991 Pamela Marie Wilson.

A Reason to Celebrate.
Reprinted by permission of Janet Lynn Mitchell. ©2002 Janet Lynn Mitchell.

My Finest Teachers.
Reprinted by permission of Virginia Katherine Johnson. ©2000 Virginia Katherine Johnson.

Out of the Mouths of Babes.
Reprinted by permission of Cheryl Marie Kremer. ©2000 Cheryl Marie Kremer.

The Vacation.
Reprinted by permission of Michelle M. Guppy. ©2003 Michelle M. Guppy.

What They Forgot to Mention.
Reprinted by permission of Sandra Beth Sotzen. ©2006 Sandra Beth Sotzen.

Is That All?
Reprinted by permission of PeggySue Wells. ©2005 PeggySue Wells.

The Little Boy Who Waves.
Reprinted by permission of Michelle M. Guppy. ©2004 Michelle M. Guppy.

All She Has.
Reprinted by permission of Connie C. Ellison. ©2005 Connie C. Ellison.
One Brief Hour.
Reprinted by permission of Suzanne Woods Fisher. ©2006 Suzanne Woods Fisher.

The Gift.
Reprinted by permission of Jeffrey J. Cain and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine,
www.stfm.org
. ©2004 Jeffrey J. Cain.

I Won’t Do It.
Reprinted by permission of Nanette Whitman-Holmes. ©2006 Nanette Whitman-Holmes.

Out of the Mouths of Babes.
Reprinted by permission of Jimmy Ernest Hinkley, Jr. ©2005 Jimmy Ernest Hinkley, Jr.

McBuns!
Reprinted by permission of Trisha Kay Kayden. ©2005 Trisha Kay Kayden.

Challenges.
Reprinted by permission of Mary Sue Mooney. ©2006. Mary Sue Mooney.

What’s the Truth About Thomas?
Reprinted by permission of Jeanne Pallos. ©2007 Jeanne Pallos.

Kids Amaze Me.
Reprinted by permission of Chynna Tamara Arlene Mae Laird. ©2006 Chynna Tamara Arlene Mae Laird.

A Whale of a Time.
Reprinted by permission of Michelle Marie Kelly Ward. ©2006 Michelle Marie Kelly Ward.

Talking to Strangers.
Reprinted by permission of Jennifer Lawler. ©2006 Jennifer Lawler.

On the Inside.
Reprinted by permission of Susan Fahncke. ©2003 Susan Fahncke.

Broken-Down Signs.
Reprinted by permission of Scott Harrison Newport. ©2006 Scott Harrison Newport.

Broken Shells.
Reprinted by permission of Deborah Hickey Jaskot. ©2006 Deborah Hickey Jaskot.

Dancing with Myself.
Reprinted by permission of Stephanie D. Thompson. ©2007 Stephanie D. Thompson.

Sunday Morning.
Reprinted by permission of Hillary Mims Key. ©2006 Hillary Mims Key.

Speech Therapy.
Reprinted by permission of Karen M. Brill. ©1998 Karen M. Brill.

Toss of a Coin.
Reprinted by permission of Theodore Kuntz. ©2005 Theodore Kuntz.

Miniature Angels.
Reprinted by permission of Susan Fahncke. ©2003 Susan Fahncke.

Milestones.
Reprinted by permission of Gina Eileen Morgan. ©2002 Gina Eileen Morgan.

Baby Steps Came in Her Own Time.
Reprinted by permission of Beverly Beckham. ©2006 Beverly Beckham.

The Race.
Reprinted by permission of Lisa Jean Schlitt. ©2004 Lisa Jean Schlitt.

Perspectives.
Reprinted by permission of Richard Joseph Sobsey. ©2001 Richard Joseph Sobsey.

In Life and in Death, Always Faithful.
Reprinted by permission of Sarah Rutherford Smiley. ©2005 Sarah Rutherford Smiley.