Tina Underwood knows what it means to raise a child while navigating systems that don’t always come with a roadmap.

In this episode of Mountain Climbers, Tina shares her journey raising her son, Kevin, who has an intellectual and developmental disability, and the reality of working through schools, therapies, and service systems along the way. What begins as a parent trying to do what’s best for their child often becomes something more—learning how to advocate, speak up, and push for the support their child deserves.

Those experiences shape not only the path forward, but the role a parent is asked to step into.

Through honesty and reflection, Tina shares the emotional weight of becoming an advocate while still wanting to simply be a parent. She speaks to the challenges, the learning curve, and the resilience it takes to keep showing up—for your child, and for others walking a similar path.

This conversation is for every parent navigating systems that feel overwhelming. Every family learning how to find their voice. Every advocate working to make those systems better for the next.

Walk with us.

🎙️ Subscribe to Mountain Climbers so you never miss a story: https://linktr.ee/lifeservicesalternatives

🤝 Learn more about Life Services Alternatives: lsahomes.org

💛 Support our mission: lsahomes.org/donate

Meet Mimi Giannini, a mother navigating one of the most complex and deeply personal parts of parenting — guiding her daughter into adulthood.

In this episode of Mountain Climbers, Mimi reflects on what it means to raise her daughter, Morgan, who has an intellectual and developmental disability, while supporting her growth and independence in a world that doesn’t always make space for families like theirs. She shares the balance between protecting and letting go, and the ongoing journey of advocating for inclusion, understanding, and belonging.

Those experiences shape how she approaches each stage of life.

Through honesty and reflection, Mimi shares what it means to grow alongside your child, to navigate uncertainty with love, and to continue showing up—not just as a parent, but as an advocate.

This conversation is for every parent thinking about the future. Every family seeking understanding. Every community learning what true inclusion really means.

Walk with us.

🎙️ Subscribe to Mountain Climbers so you never miss a story: https://linktr.ee/lifeservicesalternatives

🤝 Learn more about Life Services Alternatives: lsahomes.org

💛 Support our mission: lsahomes.org/donate

Meet Ramaswamy “Ranga” Ranganathan, a father whose journey began with a moment many parents know all too well — the day his child received a diagnosis.

In this first episode of Mountain Climbers, Ranga reflects on what it means to be a literal mountain trekker and how that experience mirrors his family’s journey raising their daughter, Sitara, who has an intellectual and developmental disability. He shares the emotions and uncertainty that followed her diagnosis, and the moment they realized the road ahead would require strength, resilience, and unwavering love.

Those early moments shaped everything that followed.

Through honesty and reflection, Ranga shares what he learned about advocacy, perseverance, and the responsibility parents carry to be a voice for their children.

This conversation is for every parent who remembers that moment. Every family learning to find their footing. Every advocate climbing their own mountain.

Walk with us.

📚 Read Madhu Ranganathan's Book to learn more about their story, The Child Who Never Knew: https://bit.ly/3P58d8j

🎙️ Subscribe to Mountain Climbers so you never miss a story.

🤝 Learn more about Life Services Alternatives: lsahomes.org

💛 Support our mission: lsahomes.org/donate