YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS YEAR!

Thanks For Sticking With Us in 2021!

Dear Friend,

It’s been another unusual year for us, as we’re sure it’s been for you. Even so, we’ve maintained our mission and goals through it all, developing and enriching the lives of many. From 334 hours of teletherapy to the addition of ABA therapy for children with autism, Sunshine School is moving to shatter limitations every day through therapy, education, and support.

One child receiving our attention right now is Reynolds, who recently joined us in May. Reynolds was born and diagnosed with Costello Syndrome, a rare gene disorder that permeates every part of the body, from the physical to the neurological. As his father Ryan tells it, Reynolds has needed a sleuth of professionals his whole life so far.

“He’s seen a lot of different doctors. He’s had more surgeries than most people in their entire life or their whole families combined. He’s had cranium

surgery, spinal surgery, airway surgery, etc. For the longest time, he couldn’t do certain things because of those issues holding him back.”

Even so, Reynolds’s first day at Sunshine School saw his first steps on his own, and thanks to Sunshine’s extensive in house therapy he’s been able to do so much more since. Through the collaboration, compassion, and creativity of our team, Reynolds has seen immediate growth. Every day he does his best to walk through the halls saying “Hi!”, a little town Mayor trying to talk to everyone.

“He won’t be scared he’s going to fall, because his balance is better,” said Tiffany, his physical therapist. “He’ll be able to play outside longer, he’ll be able to play with his friends longer without having to sit down. He can be a kid.”

Ultimately, our goal with children like Reynolds is to build up their independence. While physical therapy is building up his body, Lindsay in occupational therapy is helping with his manipulation of objects, and Erin in speech language therapy is helping him to eat on his own without his feeding tube.

“He’s able to stack more blocks, he’s able to do little puzzles by himself,” said Lindsay. “He can get undressed on his own, which is a huge improvement even if he still needs help putting it back on. He’s definitely a highly motivated kid who wants to do things on his own. He wants to be Mr. Independent.”

We are so happy that Reynolds has been able to make so much progress against so many obstacles, and we are happy to be helping him. We are also happy with your contribution to Reynolds’s journey, as without the generosity from supporters like you our programs could not be what they are now. We can never be thankful enough for your help.

And we still need your help. The need for support by donations – like therapy for our children – is a constant for us, and we invite you to donate for the first time, to help us help our community. Will you join our mission one more time and offer a donation? Thank you again for all your giving, and we hope to continue our partnership in helping more and more children in NWA.

With sincere gratitude,