Hi! My name is Stephanie.

Stephanie was born in April, 1995, about three months premature and weighing in at 1lb 15oz. She spent the first several months of her life in the neo-natal unit at St. John Hospital, finally coming home on her original due date – tethered to an oxygen tank and a myriad of medications. It was clear her development was proceeding slowly, but it wasn’t until she was about one year old when she was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Since then, Stephanie has worked harder than most kids her age, with her weeks spent juggling both school activities and physical therapy.

She has been participating in the Conductive Education program since its inception, back in the fall of 1999. Throughout this timeframe, Stephanie has made significant gains in her physical and mental abilities – and continues to do so. When Stephanie began CE she could barely crawl or sit up, let alone walk. Since then, she has made wonderful progress and, as of now, can walk short distances with the help of canes or a walker. We can not express our excitement (and tears) the first time we saw Stephanie walk without someone there to assist her!

Currently she attends Plumbrook Elementary five days a week, splitting her time between POHI 2nd grade and integrated into a regular 2nd grade class for part of the day. After school, it’s off to CE to spend time with her friends and work hard to improve upon her physical abilities. With her typical day beginning at 7am and returning home at 6pm, her determination and stamina is nothing short of amazing. Once home, Stephanie loves to spend time with her family (especially her brother Anthony). She likes to play with her stuffed animals, watch cartoons, and read with her mom & dad. She can even read some books herself now!

Our primary goal is for her to achieve as much independence as possible. Thanks to the combined schooling and therapy she receives at school and the CECMD program, we are confident that she will continue to develop and grow toward her own independence.

Of course like all children, Stephanie has a host of favorite things to do. She loves to spend time with her family, playing make-believe with her vast assortment of toys and stuffed animals, and also enjoys Disney movies and Cartoon Network. She likes camping, swimming and fishing too.

We can’t thank you enough for your generosity and support of the CE program. There is no doubt that CE has been an invaluable part of Stephanie’s continued development, and without you none of this would be possible.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Rots
Joe, Cindy and brother Anthony too