Mother of special-needs kids takes to airwaves

Excited to have the first article about our show launch in the Carrollwood news of the Tampa Tribune. Read the full article here.

special-needs mom Carrollwood

Julie Ames — seen here with her husband, Jeff, and their daughters, from left, Anna, Christina and Maria during a trip to Stone Mountain — will host “The Special Needs Family Hour,” a weekly Sunday program on radio station AM 860. It will be broadcast from 1 to 2 p.m. beginning May 10. JULIE AMES

Like most moms, Julie Ames is willing to do whatever it takes for the good of her children.

But unlike the majority of mothers, two of her three daughters have autism coupled with intellectual disabilities.

“Her girls have multiple needs, so she’s really had to navigate the systems as an advocate for her girls,” said Diane McCurly, a nurse at Pepin Academy in Tampa where Ames’ two elder daughters — Maria, 19, and Christina, 17 — were once students.

McCurly added that while unrelenting in her quest to learn about and access all available resources for her special-needs children, Ames’ demeanor is always one of kindness and patience in dealing with every person she encounters.

Ames also is a master at researching new findings and techniques that relate to and could be beneficial for her girls, said longtime friend Karen Namyak.

“Julie is a pretty amazing person to deal with all the things she’s been through and her attitude is tremendous,” Namyak said. “The girls couldn’t ask for a better mother.”

It comes as no surprise to either woman that Ames plans to host “The Special Needs Family Hour,” a weekly program on radio station AM 860 from 1 to 2 p.m. every Sunday, beginning May 10.

“Our goal is to help and inspire those parents and caregivers who are caring for special people,” Ames said. “On the show, I will cover all things related to special needs to include medical, educational and legal issues.”

Dr. Kathi Armstrong, director of pediatric psychology at the University of South Florida, knows the Ames family well. She’s treated Maria and Christina, who’ve both had myriad challenges, including the inability to eat solid food as small children and disturbing behaviors stemming from anxiety issues.

“Julie has such a positive and optimistic approach to the whole thing, and she also has developed quite a network of people who’ve dealt with children with disabilities,” Armstrong said.

Ames is a Georgia Tech graduate and had a successful career as an industrial engineer prior to starting her family. Her plans to get back into the workforce were foiled due to the full-time caregiving responsibilities of raising Maria and Christina, who now attend Focus Academy in Temple Terrace. Ames’ 14-year-old daughter, Anna, attends nearby Corpus Christi Catholic School.

Log on to www.specialneedsfamilyhour.comto learn more about the program or email Julie Ames at julie@specialneedsfamilyhour.com.

BY JOYCE MCKENZIE
Special Correspondent
Published: April 29, 2015

Special Needs Family Hour Radio Show Progress

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It’s starting to come together. Check out my new Media Kit Cover!
My first Broadcast will be on Mothers Day, May 10th, Sunday 1-2pm at 860AM The Answer

Julie Ames at her first radio test

Julie Ames at her first radio test

radio-coverage-mapI’m excited to be able to reach listeners in 7 counties in and around the Tampa Bay area including Hillsborough, Hernando, Polk, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota. Plus listeners can tune in online nationwide. Please spread the word to families you know to increase awareness and support.

More to come soon. Stay posted for updates on progress of the upcoming radio Show Special Needs Family Hour

Do you have a show idea? Do you want to support or sponsor? Contact us and let us know.

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Welcome to Special Needs Family Hour

The Special Needs Family Hour Logo is a sun dial with the following symbols:

The Cross (father) represents Faith.

Parents with special needs children need to have faith. They need to understand that their special needs child is a gift that has been entrusted to them by God. They are not being punished. Without faith one will become bitter and feel cursed.

The Anchor (mother) represents Hope.

Parents experience many challenging days raising a special needs child. Sometimes it feels like Ground Hog Day every day. Improvement especially with challenging behaviors can be infinitesimal. There are many trying days. One has to have hope for a better future.

The Heart represents Charity.

One has to look outside themselves and their situation. If not it leads to bitterness and despair. The parent of a special needs child has to reach out to others. Write an award recommendation for a teacher; give another parent a referral; thank others for their help; etc.

The Puzzle (child) represents a special needs child with autism.

The show is not just for families with autistic children. The show is here to help all families struggling to help their special child.

Special Needs Family Hour is a registered trademark.