Photography by Niki Murphy Photography
We’d like to introduce Zoe. Zoe is a delightful preteen who brings smiles to the faces of all who encounter her. This growing 11 year old is as happy as she is beautiful. Zoe was only four weeks old when her parents were blindsided by the diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy. Despite mourning the life they had planned for her, her loving parents teamed up to provide her with the best life imaginable. Unfortunately, Zoe lost her father to an unexpected heart attack in 2010 and Zoe’s mother continues to strive for all they dreamt of for her.
Zoe is nonverbal, nonambulatory and she requires intensive medical care and therapies. In her short 11 years, she has endured two surgeries for hip dysplasia followed by full body casts and comprehensive full spinal fusion. She is still recovering from the spinal fusion and is still managing through all of the post surgical challenges.
In addition to medical management of her symptomology, Zoe also participates in physical, speech and occupational therapies to help her achieve developmental milestones and to improve her quality of life. This includes wearing AFOs to reduce the potential of painful contractures and manage her tone. To minimize her risk of aspiration yet provide her with the joy of experiencing an array of pleasurable flavors, Zoe relishes gourmet pureed meals prepared by her mother.
Currently, her growing body presents unique challenges in being able to transfer her to and from the bed or bath as well as difficulty lifting her up the stairs to her bedroom and handicapped accessible bathroom. Zoe also has smaller medical equipment such as nebulizer and suctioning machine as well as larger equipment including a customized wheelchair, therapeutic gait trainer, shower chairs and a large therapy ball to help her meet her daily needs and would benefit from extra space near her bedroom to allow easy access to these devices when needed. SOARD plans to provide renovations that will reduce the caregiver burden and make it easier for Zoe to play safely in her second story room while having access to the equipment she needs.
We hope that you will take part in bringing a little bit of sunshine to Zoe and her mom when we reveal this completed project. We can’t wait to make them smile!