Wow!

We are so grateful for the generosity our community has shown! We are 100% to goal in our effort to send Sam to Chicago!

Proceeds from shirt sales go directly to Sam's fundraising goals.

This means we can move on to goal #2 Funding a mobility vehicle for Sam's Family !

Our family has experienced first hand the way a complex medical diagnosis can alter the course of life for an individual, an entire family and the whole community. Sam received his Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy diagnosis on September 13, 2021.

Sam, due February 4th 2020, was born via emergency C-section December 6th, 2019 and after spending 33 days in the NICU signs of his in utero stroke were found and his white matter brain damage (periventricular leukomalacia) was confirmed via MRI. Two days later we were released from the NICU with a mountain of discharge paperwork, an inconclusive diagnosis, and a beautiful five pound baby boy.

Sam immediately started therapy with his early intervention team over zoom as the pandemic was fully taking hold of the entire country. Since 2020 Sam has spent over 500 hours in person receiving PT, OT, Aquatic Therapy, Speech and Feeding therapy.

Through social media I was able to find a community of parents who were living the same reality as we were. There were complications in utero or at birth, NICU stays, and signs of a stroke, epilepsy or PVL like in my son’s case. In the beginning of the pandemic we would rush into empty Dr.’s offices for our never ending list of appointments and then rush back to the car with our medically fragile infants to shed tears and message each other. Through this community I learned, grieved, celebrated and joined the ever growing but still somewhat hidden group of parents who have learned their child has a lifelong disability.

These families have become friends for life.

Jude is Sam’s online bestie from Mexico!

@judeisajoy

Sam and Jude have a a lot in common : they’re 3 , Blippie is Bae , chocolate is life, and they have a PVL and CP diagnosis. They also both use AAC devices to communicate, and maybe someday they’ll use them to play video games online together!

We have been so honored to share Jude’s accomplishments from a distance while observing his experiences at NAPA Denver!

We are currently raising $13,000 for a July/August visit to the Chicago location of the world renowned NAPA Center. Supported by extensive case studies the NAPA centers approach has proven to provide incredible short term improvements with high probability of retention of skills months to years after a three week therapy intensive.

“The Intensive Model of Therapy (IMOT) is a multidisciplinary, therapeutic approach utilized at NAPA Center to treat children and young adults with cerebral palsy and other conditions with neurodevelopmental disabilities. NAPA therapists utilize the IMOT by treating patients 2-6 hours each day, 5 days a week, for 3 full weeks using a combination of tools and techniques that complement physical, occupational, speech,and feeding therapies.”

Therapy intensives are encouraged to be additive to weekly therapies to essentially super charge emerging skills. Sam will specifically be working on therapy using a neurosuit which is a supportive garment to aid in gross motor movement as he gains skills.

Here Jude is obliterating a block tower in the neurosuit.

Sam will also be working on Dynamic Movement Intervention which is a therapy method not currently supported in Omaha. We have seen fantastic outcomes using DMI therapy from our online community who have attended the NAPA and therapy centers similar.

Surf’s up, Jude!
Jude is actually working on his balance during a DMI session!

Therapies at the NAPA center are not covered by our insurance, the $13,000 we are raising toward this will cover therapy and expenses during our three week stay in Chicago.

A message from Jude’s mom:

“NAPA’s 3-week intensives have been a truly transformative experience for our family! We love the collaborative relationships between therapists working in different disciplines to help Jude accomplish goals. It’s a special place we’re thankful to participate in and gain knowledge from…plus everyone makes us feel so cared for! I wish all families with kiddos with disabilities could experience the wonderfulness that is NAPA!“

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, any amount will help Sam reach his goals!

The Walsh Family

❤️

Sam’s 2023 Therapy Intensive

By Strong Like Sam

Sam’s 2023 Therapy Intensive

We're Sending Sam to Chicago!

Team Members