Parker's Story

Press play to watch how Easter Seals has helped Parker and his family.

Colin Bell's Story

I wanted to share with you a personal story I wrote about my son Colin Bell, and all the wonderful services he has received through the years with Easter Seals. In December my firm (Lionakis) made a $2350+ donation to Easter Seals Superior California, as part of our 2009 giving. I'm currently serving as a Director on our firm's leadership council for the Lionakis Foundation and nominated Easter Seals last year. The Lionakis Foundation is committed to philanthropic giving in areas of education, healthcare, and community which are representative of the values and goals of our employees. For 2009, the program was focused entirely on employee driven giving in which seven employees wrote a personal story on their nominated charitable cause. I have included my story about Colin and Easter Seals below.

Thank you again for all the wonderful care, guidance, and support you have provided Colin and our family over the years.

Personal Story

Unfortunately my wife Amy and I didn't get to experience the special joy that goes along with being a new parent for the first time. We were told the day before our son was to come home that he had a rare genetic syndrome and may never walk and/or talk. It was devastating news and we felt like no one else could possibly understand what we were going through at that moment in time. Easter Seals was the first contact we had with any agency that understood the journey ahead of us in raising a child with special needs.

Today, our son Colin starts Kindergarten in two weeks and can run just as fast as any kid in his class. He can also speak in small sentences and can carry on a conversation with his sister who understands him completely. He's doing things that we were led to believe weren't possible. If it was not for the early childhood intervention services that Colin received through Easter Seals, he would definitely be further behind in his development. Over the years we've been provided with Early Start Development Services, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Swimming Therapy. We've worked with numerous therapists who not only provided guidance for Colin but gave us the inspiration we desperately needed. Colin's future has never looked brighter and Amy and I are in a much better place than we were a few years ago.

Easter Seals Pediatric Services - "Children with disabilities will be fully included and have the same experiences as their peers."

A Mother An Occupational Therapist An Inspiration

Kim McVean is an occupational therapist with Easter Seals Superior California's Nonpublic Agency Services program. Many of the children on Kim's caseload come to Easter Seals for therapy because of a diagnosis of Autism. She provides direct one to one therapy for these children on a weekly basis as well as providing training and consultation to the child's parent, caregiver or teacher.

At the end of her busy and often eventful workday, Kim heads home to husband Mike and their 8-year-old twin boys, both of whom have a diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum. Alec appeared different as early as eight months and was not talking at two years of age. He was finally diagnosed at age four as having moderate Autism. Brad, who has struggled with social interactions and fine motor skills, more recently received the diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome, a form of high functioning Autism. When first diagnosed, Kim indicated that they went through a period of trying to fix the problem. Now, however, Mike and Kim are more concerned with "nurturing them, helping them to be a part of society and allowing them to be who they are."

When asked to describe her daily routine as a mom of twins with Autism, Kim laughed and exclaimed that they live in a "spontaneous household" where "small things become a huge blessing". For example, the first time Alec said "Hi, Mom" he was five years old. Kim says little things like that mean a lot because you have had to wait so long to hear them. She reports that their boys exhibit very different needs. Alec is a little tactilely defensive and doesn't enjoy a lot of physical interaction where as Brad craves touch. Kim and Mike have learned to capitalize on each boy's strengths rather than focusing on what they can't do as well as finding ways to let each of them know that they are valued and loved. They are active in the community in order to challenge the boys in social situations and have developed a good support network of friends, family, school and therapists.

Kim's empathy and experience as a parent of children with disabilities has enabled her to be a wonderful resource and support system for other families facing similar challenges. She indicates that she is familiar with the day to day handling of situations because she's been there! More importantly, she has taken what she's learned from her own experiences and is able to apply it to her own clients at Easter Seals.

Thank You From the Johnson Family

Today, Sierra Johnson is a beautiful and healthy five year old girl, thanks to the services she has been receiving from Easter Seals' pediatric department. However, it wasn't so long ago, as her mother Stefanie reflects, that 10 month old Sierra's life was very different.

Dear Donors:

Easter Seals is a wonderful leader in providing children and adults with the resources and skills to overcome disabilities. Easter Seals, founded in 1934, provides services to families of children with disabilities as early as a few months old, as well as adults and seniors with a vast array of needs, in order to provide each with an opportunity to learn, maximize independence and to provide a richer quality of life. This achievement requires new ideas, solid strength and support, and a relentless belief in the future.

Here at Easter Seals begins the story of Sierra, an ailing 10 month old little blond-haired, blue-eyed twin girl who has a strappingly strong brown-eyed brown-haired twin brother. After the medical community had failed her and left her ill and weak, she had missed every single milestone in her first year, an Easter Seals team of therapists - early interventionists as they are called in speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy and cognitive development evaluated her. Before her first birthday a weekly team was scheduled with an in-home plan for her rehabilitation and recovery. Contrary to medical therapy which is acute, aggressive, and short term, these highly-qualified specialists from Easter seals were both relentless and nurturing. Their actively engaging rehabilitation showed their devotion to Sierra.

After the Early Intervention program ended at age three, Sierra was enrolled in the Easter Seals NPA Program, under the strong direction of Shirley Skaden-Smith. With award-winning occupational therapist Kristie Clifft, and physical therapist Cheri Wieland, Sierra continued to receive excellent rehabilitation services. Kristie was awarded an outstanding service recognition award from the school district. She preferred that this award not be touted because of her belief that all Easter Seals therapists are exemplary. Cheri is one of the few pediatric physical therapists who provides water therapy to children. This modality of water-based therapy for children is not readily available in many places in Northern California, even in the medical community.

Now days, the little girl with global developmental delays has charmed and surprised the school staff with her ever growing vocabulary and strengthening mobility. She rides her tricycle to the playground with her twin brother and her other three siblings. She is now one of several fine ambassadors for Easter Seals. The health and happiness of this now very active 5 year old girl, who will be attending kindergarten in a general education program this fall , is a direct result of the dedication and matchless skill of her Easter Seals therapists. May God bless you, Easter Seals, and may your coffers be filled by supporters so that you can continue to do your good works! Our family hopes that you will contact Easter Seals if there is anything you can do to help.

Sincerely,

The Johnson Family