THE STORY: Emily, now 15 years old, is a happy, interactive, loving ray of sunshine who loves Sesame Street, Dora, dancing, and roller coasters. Her diagnoses include cerebral palsy, global developmental delays, a seizure disorder, scoliosis, and reflux. The Euro-Peds National Center for Intensive Pediatric PT has been life-changing, for Emily. Their intensive treatment, specialized equipment, and expertise have taken Emily from crawling, to walking in a gait trainer, to walking with a walker, to only needing a gait belt, and finally to independent walking. It's been truly miraculous. The physical changes from puberty have brought increased challenges for Emily, as her scoliosis, seizures, and GI issues have continued to increase, and her balance and stability while walking have been negatively impacted, as a result. It is my hope that this stint at Euro-Peds will help Emily more functionally adapt to these physical changes and develop increased strength, flexibility, and endurance. When we first came to Euro-Peds, 12 years ago, it was such a financial and logistical challenge it never occurred to me that it was something we might do more than once. But then I saw what this program did for Emily and helped her achieve, so every year I've tried my best, with the help of our community, to get her back here for another round of treatment. . We have once again traveled to Michigan for a 3-week intensive PT program (4 hour sessions, 5 days a week), with speech/oral motor therapy for Emily at Euro-Peds, as well. If you can, please consider making a donation to help offset the treatment and travel costs of this course of intensive treatment for Emily. You can also share this link, if you'd like. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, as none of the costs are covered by insurance. Thanks so much.
FYI, the Euro-Peds Foundation (EPF) was established in 2013 to raise and administer funds for children who have special needs and their families. The foundation primarily awards treatment and travel grants to help cover the cost of specialized intensive physical therapy at Euro-Peds, a nationally-recognized center for children and young adults who have cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries, genetic syndromes, spina bifida and other gross motor disorders. They believe Every Child Deserves a First Step! Join us and take an important step forward by donating today!
