by Sabrina Stafford
When I received the news that I would be interning at Easterseals back in December of 2015, I was ecstatic. Being the oldest sibling of two children with special needs, I am used to most special education programs being familiar with my family; but this was different. Easterseals had been a part of not only my brother and sister’s lives but also mine. I attended the Sibshop program that was available in the evenings to siblings of children who attended Easterseals. This program was very important to me as a little girl (and I’m not just saying that because they had free pizza).
Sibshop taught me that although being a sibling is difficult, it is also incredibly rewarding. My siblings are a blessing. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to easily learn values such as patience, empathy and hope. When I walked into the doors of the Delaware County Division of Easterseals after accepting the position as the Music Therapist, I felt like I was walking into Easterseals as a little girl back in the early 2000’s.
My brother, Sammy, graduated from Easterseals in 2000. He is currently 22 years old and a graduate from Elwyn’s Davidson School. Sammy once was a student in the APS classroom. Sammy received in-home services such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy. In fact, Ms. Paula, Sammy’s previous PT still works at Easterseals today. What a surprise it was for me to recognize a familiar face on my first week as an intern! Sammy is healthy and strong and enjoys his days socializing at home with family and his nurses.
My sister, Sophia, graduated from Easterseals in 2006. She is now 17 years old and attends a life-skills class at Penncrest High School. Sophia was one of the first children to attend the Friendship academy at the Delaware County Division. Sophia continues to enjoy school, especially socializing with peers her age. She attends all of her high school dances and is also a member of her student council and honors society. Sophia also works at The Media Library as part of her life-skills curriculum.
I am a proud sibling of both Sammy and Sophia. Of course my special family has come with challenges, but those challenges are heavily outweighed by the benefits. Easterseals has been a small-knit community for me and my family, and continues to be a supportive environment for me as a newly professional Music Therapist.
Although Sammy and Sophia have both graduated from Easterseals, they bring the spirit and warmth of the Easterseals community with them. They will continue to hold Easterseals in their hearts, just as I continue to do every day. It has been such a rewarding experience for me working at Easterseals; I feel like I was born to have this job. I am so very thankful for the life experiences that prepared me for my endeavors at Easterseals. Because of this, I wake up every day with a smile knowing that without my siblings, and without Easterseals, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.
Easterseals of Southeastern Pennsylvania 
Thank you for sharing your story!