Stepping In, Stepping Up: A Kinship Story of Love and Adoption

Dana Sobotik’s path to parenthood started a bit unexpectedly in 2015.

“My stepmother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and at the time she was taking care of her biological grandson Ayven,” says Dana. “She needed to take time to focus on herself and her recovery, so my husband and I brought Ayven into our home for what was initially more of a respite situation.”

But after a few weeks, Dana and her husband decided to make it more permanent.

“As fate would have it, we were trying for a while to get pregnant and couldn’t. I feel like everything happens for a reason, and I felt like that was God’s way of stepping in and saying, ‘Here you go’. We wanted to make sure Ayven would still be in an environment he knew, and we also wanted my stepmother to be able to slip back into the grandma role.”

That’s when the Sobotiks officially became licensed foster parents through Wellpoint Care Network (at the time SaintA). And Dana says she is so grateful they did.

“All the classes that we took were extremely informative and very eye-opening,” she adds. “My husband still to this day will reference something we learned through Trauma Informed Care training, especially now that Ayven is a teenager. It was so helpful to have the support of staff, but also to be able to be in a setting where we were with other people that were in similar situations and could relate to the things we were going through. It was just nice to know that we were not alone.”

After fostering Ayven from ages 4-7, the Sobotiks officially adopted him on April 10, 2018.

“The adoption process itself was seamless,” she adds. “Everybody that we worked with from Wellpoint Care (at the time Saint A) was amazing. They helped us throughout the fostering journey, prepare for adoption, and then even after the adoption was complete with advice on next steps. It was a great experience.”

Now 15, Ayven, Dana and her husband have settled into being a family of three. Dana has advice for anyone considering entering into a kinship role.

“It was definitely difficult to navigate at times, but the one thing that we kept in mind was that everything we were doing needed to be for Ayven.”

Though their fostering chapter has closed, Dana’s connection to Wellpoint Care Network continues. Each year, her employer HJS organizes gift donations for youth in foster care.

“I had told our CEO Kevin that this project was very near and dear to my heart because of our situation and having gone through the adoption process.”

“I didn’t know Dana’s personal story until we were already doing this ­­— it was just a nice way for our small business to give back during the holidays,” added Kevin Jacobson, President & CEO of HJS. “But then having that personal connection made it that much more special and meaningful.”

So last December, HJS pledged an annual donation to Wellpoint Care Network in the Sobotik Family’s name.

“To be in our honor was incredibly moving and completely unexpected,” added Dana. “I felt very honored and blessed. I feel honored and blessed just to work for him, let alone to have his generosity, and to be able to support such a great cause is amazing.”

You can be part of stories like Dana’s. Whether you’re interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent, volunteering your time, or supporting families through donations, Wellpoint Care Network offers many ways to get involved. Together, we’re creating pathways to a thriving tomorrow — for children, families and communities across Wisconsin.