Monthly Archives: April 2016

Meet Janiya and Dymir

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Janiya_Damir_web

Janiya and Dymir are brother and sister, they would also call themselves best friends. The first few years of their lives were unstable and challenging for Janiya, 11 and Dymir, 12, who also have developmental delays. Today, with the support of their loving mother and the therapists at Easter Seals, they are doing fantastic. Janiya and Dymir are students at a cyber charter school and once a week Janiya receives Speech and Occupational Therapy, Dymir was also receiving the same therapies until recently. With the help of Easter Seals therapists, they have both improved their fine motor skills and their speech, which has led to greater self-confidence. When they come in for therapy, they literally run into the building, which is a wonderful testament to their experience. When they aren’t in school or therapy, they are doing typical kid stuff. Janiya is a Girl Scout and loves to dance. Dymir is a Boy Scout and he especially loves the camping trips. Together, they enjoy riding their bikes and seeing who can bounce the highest on a pogo stick. Janiya wants to be a police officer when she grows up and Dymir wants to be a firefighter. They have an energy that is inspiring and captivating and we can’t wait for you to meet them!

Meet Janiya and Dymir at Walk With Me on June 4th. Visit our Walk With Me website to register or learn more.

Meet Georgia

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by Melanie O’Brien

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When sweet 4-year-old Georgia was born, everything seemed pretty typical. However, when she was about 10-months old, her mom noticed her eyes seemed to be twitching and she wasn’t meeting her milestones. Georgia has a partial trisomy 14 disorder. She began receiving home-based services, including occupational, physical and speech therapies and special education. When Georgia turned 3, she started attending Easter Seals Early Intervention Center for half-days. She was doing well and it was quickly determined that she would really benefit from full-days in the Approved Private School program in the Yaffe Center. Since then, she has gone from a quiet and shy to very social! Georgia loves going to school and has become very interested in the world around her. She is initiating play, trying to dress herself and going up and down steps. When she isn’t at school, Georgia is playing with her sisters and taking advantage of all the museums and cultural opportunities that Philly has to offer. Georgia loves color and to laugh and she is painting the world with her beautiful smile!

Meet Georgia and the other Honorary Ambassadors at Walk With Me on June 4th at the Philadelphia Zoo. You can learn more and register at www.walkwithme.org/philadelphia.

Meet Brody

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by Melanie O’Brien

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Brody has a rare genetic disorder and scoliosis. However, what truly makes this 4-year-old unique is his outgoing personality. Brody began receiving home-based services shortly after he was born. His parents have a long history with Easter Seals through their volunteer efforts and knew it would be perfect for his center-based services. On his third birthday, Brody began preschool at our Delaware County Division. He loves school, everything from riding the bus to singing during circle time. His passion for school is clear when you look at all he has accomplished in a year. Brody is walking with a walker, and taking up to 15 independent steps. He can now use a spoon to eat. His speech is constantly improving and if you can’t understand what he is saying, he’ll give you a sign as he’s also using sign language to communicate. At home you can find Brody looking at books or working on puzzles. He loves to watch his favorite movie, Toy Story. His real passion, though, is music. He loves everything from “Head, shoulders, knees and toes” to “Uptown Funk”. Brody also loves going for donuts, which is a favorite Sunday tradition with his parents. When you meet him, it’s easy to see why people are so charmed by this sweet boy!

Brody is one of our honorary ambassadors for Walk With Me this year. Register for our Walk, which is June 4th at the Philadelphia Zoo, and meet Brody and our other ambassadors. It is a family friendly event that features a 5k, fun walk, music, food and fun!