Opinion

Easter Seals helps kids to be their best

Posted June 08, 2009 11:00 pm

By Tricia Granato

Ryan Frederick of Naperville was born 10 weeks early. He is the oldest twin and adores his sister, Megan. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder, Ryan started a special ketogenic diet with guidance from Easter Seals. Photo by Peter Maslowski

Each weekend thousands of people take to the streets of our communities, walking and running to raise money for charities. Every one of them has found a cause to believe in, a bit of hope through helping. And every one of them has a reason for being there.

Today, Tricia Granato of Naperville shares how therapy through Easter Seals DuPage and Fox Valley Region has helped her daughters grow stronger, physically and emotionally.

My name is Tricia Granato. My husband, Dan, and I have three daughters, Abby, 7, Hannah, 5, and Nora, 2. We live in Naperville.

All three of my daughters inspire me to participate in Walk, Climb, Give for Easter Seals. Easter Seals DuPage and the Fox Valley Region not only provides exceptional services for my daughters Abby and Nora, who were born with low muscle tone, but also gives love and support to Hannah, who was not born with a disability.

When Abby was 4, she set a goal for herself. She wanted to walk to school on her first day of kindergarten holding Mommy and Daddy's hands. At the time she set the goal, she had just taken her first independent steps and was walking with a walker.

The entire year, Abby's therapists encouraged and worked with Abby to reach her goal. The following fall, she did it! We walked her to the first day of kindergarten holding her hands. It was such an amazing moment for all of us!

Nora recently began to crawl. She was on the brink of crawling for a long time, and her therapists kept working with her and trying new things. She finally started crawling over a weekend and when we came in for therapies the next week, all her therapists were elated. All their hard work and dedication produced such awesome results!

The unknown aspect of a disability is difficult to cope with. What will the future bring? We feel more positive about the future because our daughters are progressing and have great determination. We have learned not to take life for granted, to celebrate the ups and not dwell on the downs. As parents, we have better learned to take control, be decisive and, most importantly, be an advocate for our children. Not to mention, the support we feel from the staff and other parents at Easter Seals helps tremendously!

The support is amazing. The Easter Seals staff is welcoming and accommodating. They are all incredibly aware of the difficulties parents face in trying to schedule therapies with doctors, school and everyday life.

We walk in the door and know our daughters are in the hands of experts. The therapists are not only well-educated and trained in their respective therapies or roles, but also in communicating with doctors and other medical personnel, parents and schools. We truly feel blessed to be a part of Easter Seals. They have made an amazing difference in our lives. They feel like family.

This is the first year Easter Seals is doing Walk, Climb, Give for Easter Seals in Naperville. It is a great idea! Having grown up in Naperville, I know the people love to be involved and support a good cause. I expect the event to be a great success this year and hopefully for years to come!

The support and efforts of those participating will help so many families celebrate the precious "firsts" in their child's life. And to those families it is the greatest gift!

Sam Matusik of Naperville is challenged with right-sided diaphragmatic paralysis, hypotonia, scoliosis, reflux and complex chromosome abnormalities. With Easter Seals therapy Sam can now stand using full leg supports. Photo by Jay Kristensen

Cody Huston of Westchester was born in May 2007 and diagnosed with Down syndrome. Within three days of joining the Infant Room at Easter Seals' Lily Garden Child Care Center, Cody became more social and interactive. Photo by Lauren Vitiello

The Granato family of Naperville - Hannah, 5, from left, Tricia with Nora, 2, on her lap, Abby, 7, and Dan - are supporting Walk, Climb, Give for Easter Seals because of the help the organization has given Abby and Nora. Courtesy of the Granato family

Although challenged with hypotonia and scoliosis, Abby Granato of Naperville is a bright-eyed and energetic 7-year-old whose Easter Seals therapy helped her reach her goal of walking to her first day of school without her walker. Photo by Hillary Keenon

Walk, Climb, Give for Easter Seals Why: Easter Seals DuPage and the Fox Valley Region provides therapies and services for infants, children and adults with disabilities When: Check-in runs 7:45-8:30 a.m. Saturday, June 20; walk begins at 8:30 a.m. Where: Rotary Hill on the Naperville Riverwalk, off Aurora Avenue west of Eagle Street Details: Event includes a walk followed by a climb up some or all of the Moser Tower housing the 72-bell Naperville Millennium Carillon Cost: $25, free for clients and ages 8 and younger; suggested sponsorship goal of $100 Deadline: Register by June 10 Info: (630) 282-2031, <a href="mailto:swalsh@eastersealsdfvr.org">swalsh@eastersealsdfvr.org</a> or <a href="mailto:eastersealsdfvr.org">eastersealsdfvr.org</a>

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