Elsie's Story

Meet Elsie, an adorable four year old from Ohio with Cerebral Palsy, who regularly goes to our UCP affiliate in Cleveland. When Elise was born on Halloween in 2006 all appeared to be going smoothly. Five days after her birth she suffered a series of apnea spells, and was later diagnosed with CP as a result. After 15 months she was experiencing several developmental delays, she couldn’t hold her head up or sit on her own. After receiving therapy elsewhere that was not up to their standards, Elise’s parents brought her to UCP where she immediately started in the independence therapy program.  The benefits were immediate, as Elise soon could hold herself up and began moving around. Elise continues to make strides with the help of our on-site therapists and her own determination to succeed. Today, she is walking with aide, learning to swim, adaptive ice skating, and going to school like every other child. Elise is overcoming the adversity presented by Cerebral Palsy.

Her parents credit UCP’s cutting edge therapy programs and pediatric-trained therapists at our Greater Cleveland affiliate as main contributors to Elise’s progress, but we know it’s also Elise’s determination to live a life beyond the limitations of her disability that makes her continuing progress possible.  Elise is a normal child with the same everyday interests as other children her age. She loves to listen to music and play with her big sister Camryn, working hard to keep up with her and other friends. Her therapists marvel at her determination and strong will, always working hard to make progress. It’s UCP’s mission to provide the assistance to make Elise’s goals become a reality, so that she may live the kind of life she wants, a life without limits.

Our affiliates located all over the country and beyond work with children and adults like Elise every day. Overall, we serve more than 176,200 people each and every day. One day at a time, one life at a time.