Bio's

STAFF: 

Anne Eichmann, ExecutiveDirector

Anne began her career in Nursing and quickly shifted her career path to become part of the Developmental Disabilities community.  She began as a Clinical Researcher for the Down Syndrome Research Foundation, then proceeded to be the Clinical Manager of the Asante Centre where she helped families navigate the diagnosis and assessment process.  She became a  mom to 2 children who ended up with different developmental disability diagnosis.  Her passion to help families continued as she worked in Family Support for Foothills FAS Society and Calgary Fetal Alcohol Nework.  She sat on the FSCD Regional Parent Association Committee.

BOARD:
Jurgen Eichmann, President, Founding Director

Jurgen grew up in Vancouver where he met his wife Anne.  They got married and when it came time to start a family, they quickly realized that adoption was how their family would be formed.  He adopted their oldest son when he was 4 years old, then 2 years later adopted their youngest son when he was a week old.  Both children were diagnosed with very different disabilities.  Jurgen has been on a journey since with learning how to support each individual child.

Gunther Eichmann, Treasurer

In 1999 my wife and I adopted two children from Russia 10 and 9 years old with FASD and other health issues. Katya is 32 years now.  We still look after her financial affairs and we are her guardians. We have been foster parents for 10 years and have had a lot of children with different levels of challenges and disabilities in our home. The first two foster kids we ever got were adopted and they are now 15 and 13 years old. My educational background is being an accountant. I have worked for different non profits over the years. Currently I work for Galcom international as a Partner Relations Representative. I also have a small business doing income tax returns for small businesses and individuals. In the summer months I am a motorcycle instructor for Wheels training centre 

Alida VanPolanen, Secretary

I am Alida, 70 years old, born in the Netherlands, immigrant at age 21, married at 26. My husband and I had 3 girls, and then became foster parents to a 2 week old baby boy with FASD. This baby is still with us as a 30 year old. We had many other foster children, and some we still have contact with, but no one stayed, except this baby. True adoption was not possible because his particular tribe did not allow his adoption. His mother had been drinking when she came to the hospital for delivery, and disappeared before he was healthy enough to be released.  When a pediatrician saw him, she diagnosed him with FASD. The fact that we always knew that his brain had been affected by alcohol has been very important. We started going to seminars, workshops etc. right away. Looking back, one of the most important things we learned was that “his environment is his conscience”. As a result we homeschooled him, as we had done with our girls. He has been working since he was 14: first summer jobs, then fulltime when we quit school. Though he qualifies for PDD and AISH, we have never used their services. Today he feels secure in who he is because he has never been traumatized with the usual trauma kids like him come across, like moving from one home to another (which creates attachment disorder), or being teased on the playground because he was “stupid”. His living at home is sometimes an issue with our peers. However, this is how it is, and when life requires us to make changes, then that is early enough for him to learn new skills, with the help of his sisters.  

Wendy Anderson, Director of Book Keeping

Eeron Gartley, Director of Marketing

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