Easterseals Claps for Joy with Stella

“Mommy, Mommy, listen,” five-year-old, Stella squeals as she claps her hands together. “Listen for the sound.” Tears spring to Amanda’s eyes as she hears her daughter clap for the very first time.

When Stella was born 10 weeks early, Amanda saw in her daughter a determination that carried her through many complications and eight weeks in the NICU. Between three and six months, Amanda and Jim, Stella’s parents, noticed Stella was not using her left arm and leg. They were shocked to learn she had had a stroke after birth. Wanting the best outcome for their daughter, they sought out Easterseals Children’s Therapy services.

“I was devastated at first and it was very scary in the beginning. We had no idea what was in store for her,” Amanda says. “We got lucky with great people at Easterseals. Not only did they help us by giving us home exercises and ideas for making adjustments in the home, but they were, and still are, emotionally supportive.”

Occupational therapy has helped Stella rely more on her left hand, or as the family puts it “leftie.” Speech therapy has helped her to tell her family what she wants, which has reduced her frustration and outbursts at mealtime and playtime.

“I am profoundly proud of Stella and her journey thus far. From seeing her for the first time in NICU to current times, she has been a fighter,” Jim says. “Stella has not let anything stand in her way. From the start, Stella has had a healthy stubborn way about her that lets her be resilient and persevere to the next challenge.”

Learning how to clap was a big accomplishment for Stella. Her next goal is to ride a bike so she can ride with her family this summer. As she has learned to crawl, walk, jump and skip with Easterseals physical therapy, Stella has had a group of cheerleaders on her side, including her older sister, Alexandria or “Lexi.”

“I think my sister is brave because she has a lot of doctor appointments and doesn’t fuss,” Lexi says. “I help my parents by distracting her when she’s nervous about going to new appointments. I also try to teach people about her disability and what makes her unique. By being a sister to someone like Stella I have learned to appreciate what we have and be patient when it takes her longer to do things.”

Easterseals is delighted to have Stella as this year’s ambassador for their 6th annual “Walk With Me & 5K Fun Run Delmarva” event. The event is scheduled for Sunday at 3 pm on October 21, 2018 at Baywood Greens, 32267, Clubhouse Way, Long Neck, DE. Funds raised through Walk With Me help Easterseals provide critically needed services to families living with disabilities in our local community.