Why I got Involved

By Anna Marie Champion

Dear Friends,

Let me take a moment to introduce the joys of my life and my reason for writing this. Morgan and her twin sister, Katelyn were born April 9, 2000. A somewhat complicated pregnancy, including bed rest for the last two months, ended at seven months with the birth of two beautiful angels. Both were strong willed and fighting to live. They had obstacles while in the hospital, but nothing they could not overcome. They were discharged home twelve weeks later with no obvious problems for the future that we knew of.

My husband, Wesley, and I never realized how hectic life could be with twins! Our quiet lifestyle was really turned upside down when the twins were nine months old and we saw a new Pediatrician who suspected there might be an issue with Morgan's development. Morgan was referred to a Pediatric Neurologist, followed by a MRI, and finally the diagnosis I never wanted to hear... Cerebral Palsy.

This news was devastating to us, even though we had sometimes wondered why Morgan's motor skills seemed to be lacking in comparison to those of her sister. She was not sitting unassisted or holding her head up very well, while her sister was doing both. We had been reassured several times from the NICU and the Pediatrician that these were normal preemie delays and nothing to be overly concerned about. My husband and I both disagreed and started searching for another opinion. With Morgan's diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy, our perfect family life with twin girls was changed forever.

Saddened but still hopeful, we immediately entered Morgan into an early intervention program for children with special needs from birth to age three. She began weekly physical and occupational therapy in a structured play setting. We also started home therapy with her. It was during this period that it became my driving force to do anything and everything I could to help Morgan. I wanted to know all I could about Cerebral Palsy and what research was being done to help her and other children.

As Morgan grows she teaches me life lessons on patience, living life, and never taking things for granted. She is like a ray of sunshine that brightens our every day. Seeing her face glow each time she accomplishes a task or learns a new skill fills our heart with joy and excitement.

Our family reluctantly moved in 2002, leaving behind a supportive treatment team of professionals in whom we had grown so confident. While finding new doctors, therapists, and support systems to help us with this BIG transition, I began to realize we needed more sources of information to determine the best course of treatment for Morgan. Coincidentally, my grandmother sent me an article she read about Dr. Janice Brunstrom, a pediatric neurologist who also had Cerebral Palsy, and I immediately called for an appointment.

Following our initial visit with Dr. Brunstrom and attending a Parent Conference on CP, we had an appointment with my daughter's orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Timothy Oswald. I remember standing in his office talking non-stop and from that moment on I KNEW that I wanted to focus on educating families across the United States on the importance of making their voice heard, how to take charge of their children's care, to never give up and to always keep looking for answers.

My faith in medical research grows every day as does my drive in seeking out new treatments and therapies for Morgan and other children like her. My dream is that medical advances will lead to a cure for Cerebral Palsy. We invite other parents to join us in this critical effort by adding your voice and making a difference in the lives of precious children everywhere who are impacted by Cerebral Palsy.

Through fundraising efforts and research, it is my sincere hope to make this dream become a reality. Where there is a will ... there is a way.

Sincerely,

Anna Marie Champion
Co-Founder, Reaching For The Stars. A Foundation Of Hope For Children With Cerebral Palsy