UCP Affiliate, Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta Vacation Villa Offers Stress-Free Vacation for Individuals with Disabilities

For many of us, packing up the car and heading for a weekend getaway can take minimal preparations. Head out to the cottage or book a hotel room, pack a cooler, bathing suit and some supplies and head out on the open road. But what if it wasn't that easy? What if you were in a wheelchair?

Individuals facing mobility challenges aren't as fortunate to be able to leave town for the weekend. There are so many things to think about such as..."Will the place be accessible? Can I get into the bathroom? Can the restaurants accommodate my needs?" Not only are there limited vacation places with wheelchair access, but most importantly, as many individuals with disabilities live on assisted income, the cost of taking a vacation is just not feasible.

How can someone with a disability enjoy a stress-free vacation when there are so many things to think about? A vacation without limits is now possible at the Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta (CPAA) Vacation without Limits Villa in Gull Lake, Alberta. Located in the gated community of Raymond Shores Resort, the Vacation Villa has just celebrated its grand opening and is ready for bookings.

Finally, a vacation rental property for families with special needs! The Vacation Villa will be Alberta's first fully accessible, all inclusive vacation rental property available year round for members with disabilities as well as to non-members and the general public. A vacation spot where families with special needs are fully accommodated: ramps and lifts where they are needed, doorways that work, and lots of fun things to keep everyone happy.

"We are so grateful and excited about the possibility to 'wheel around' this fantastic villa at Gull Lake" says Deborah Berry proud and loving mother of Kyle, her teenage son who happens to have cerebral palsy, and requires a wheelchair for mobility.

It has been nearly eight years since the Berry family has had the opportunity to enjoy a holiday together and have been unable to go on vacation due to lack of fully accessible accommodations. Deborah has struggled, as do most families whose lives are affected by a disability, with planning even the simplest of family getaways.

The two bedroom, 950 square-foot custom made, fully accessible recreational home, is fully stocked with all the equipment you will need, including a roll-in shower, ramp leading up to the back deck, a pool and hot tub lift, and accessible pathways for you to enjoy the great outdoors. Only a short drive from Edmonton or Calgary, and room to sleep 9 people, the Vacation Villa is the perfect destination for the whole family to enjoy some rest and relaxation at an affordable rate.

"We want to make vacationing as seamless as possible for our members," says Janice Bushfield, Executive Director for the Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta. "Many individuals with disabilities face daily challenges and are in much need of a vacation but often don't have the means or finances to do so."

The Villa can be booked by individuals of all abilities at very reasonable rates, and subsidy is also available for qualifying CPAA members thanks to the Street Family Vacation Subsidy Program. The memorial fund was set up by the Street Family in honor of their late father who created fond vacation memories with his family and son who lived with cerebral palsy and felt it was important for other families to be able to spend quality vacation time regardless of ability.

For more information on the Vacation Villa or the Street Family Vacation Subsidy Program, please visit the Vacation without Limits Web site or call CPAA toll-free at (888) 477-8030.

UCP of Central Ohio: Two Arts Programs Building Character, Connecting Abilities

The UCP of Central Ohio and Great Western Academy recently received a $1000 grant from the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) to provide a new mural in the Dowd Center library. The project provided a fun learning experience for students, while incorporating a mentorship for artists with disabilities. A 6^th grade class from the Imagine Great Western Academy joined with UCP participants to paint a unique mural. The mural will be dedicated and installed later this summer in the library at the Dowd Center in Columbus.

The goal of The Art of Building Character project was to provide a new and fun learning experience for the Great Western Academy students. Currently, in the classroom, students are learning various character traits and painting techniques. During this project, the students practiced these techniques with participants from UCP.

Prior to beginning this project, UCP participants attended a lecture and discussion on character traits. By learning these character traits, the Great Western Academy students and the UCP participants integrated citizenship, kindness, and integrity in the mural for the Dowd Center. The interaction provided a diverse experience for the elementary students and a mentorship for UCP artists. The Art of Building Character project coincides with the mission of the GCAC by benefiting the Arts-In-School program and the Neighborhood Arts Program.

The Dowd Center is part of the Homeless Families Foundation. The foundation provides an after school program and summer program for the homeless and at-risk youth.

The funding helped the UCP artists and the students of the Great Western Academy to engage in a new learning experience and gain the knowledge and purpose of acceptance and the importance of making learning fun.

---

Connecting Abilities is an art project created to showcase collaborative works of art created by artists from The Ohio State University and UCP of Central Ohio's Art Bridge Studio. The art project began when a student from The Ohio State University, Morgan Green, began volunteering at the Art Bridge Studio in September of 2008. In the fall of 2009, Green learned about a program through Ohio State, called the Idea Lab, which would allow her to take her passion for volunteering with the artists of UCP to a new level. In fact it would give her the opportunity to share her experiences at the Art Bridge Studio with fellow students.

The Idea Lab provided a grant for Green's project, Connecting Abilities. The Idea Lab chose Green's idea to promote awareness to focus on abilities over disabilities. The grant supplied the artists with the supplies to connect their abilities.

The artists from The Ohio State University volunteered at the UCP of Central Ohio Art Bridge Studio every Friday for 10 weeks. During this time, the artists exchanged pieces as a collaborative effort. The artists from the Art Bridge Studio showed the students from Ohio State their artistic abilities rather than disabilities. It was a back and forth effort by the participants and students to create finished art pieces.

The funding UCP of Central Ohio received enabled UCP artists to develop artistically and provide awareness to Ohio State students and the Columbus community about artists with disabilities.

The pieces will be displayed at the following dates and locations:

• June 22^nd-July 8^th at Wild Goose Creative, 2491 Summit Street;
• July 19^th- 25^th at Global Gallery Coffee Shop in Clintonville; and
• August 10^th-30^th at Columbus Metropolitan Library.

For more information, please visit the UCP of Central Ohio Web site or contact Gina Ginn at (614) 279-0109 x209.

Information & Referal: July is National Parks and Recreation Month

Summer is the perfect time to get out and explore parks and outdoor recreation areas. The official purpose of National Recreation and Parks Month is to showcase and invite community participation in quality leisure activities for all segments of the population. This includes people with disabilities.

The National Parks and Recreation Association advocates for inclusion, encouraging all providers of park, recreation, and leisure services to provide opportunities in settings where people of all abilities can recreate and interact together. Visit the Association’s State Affiliate page to find out about parks and recreation activities in your state.

Many National parks are accessible. The National Park Service provides lists of accessible trails, accessible camping, accessible vistas, and picnic areas in the section of their website, "National Parks: Accessible to Everyone"

The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability also has State listings of accessible parks and recreation programs.

For more information, contact Lara Terrell at (202) 973-7105.

Annoucements - Week of July 8, 2009

Affiliate News

• National Human Services Assembly: Learn about CareersforGood.org (a service for UCP Affiliates as a part of the National Human Services Assembly Membership).
• UCP of Central Florida: Miracles in Action e-Newsletter: June 2009.
• UCP of Huntsville & Tennessee Valley: Alabama Respite Coalition Formed
• UCP of Oregon and Southwest Washington: Disability Survey. Assist the Portland Commission on Disability in fulfilling its mission; tell them three things the City could do to make living in and visiting Portland a pleasant experience for people with disabilities and their families.
• UCP of Oregon and Southwest Washington: The List (Video)
  
  
  
  Vimeo: The List from Doug Taylor

Webinars

• Nonprofit Marketing Guide: Blogging for Nonprofits - Tips, Traps, and Tales (Thursday, July 09, 2009 1:00–2:00PM EDT, $35).
• Network for Good: The Influential Fundraiser - Using Psychology & Neurology to Win Over Donors (Tuesday, July 14^th 1:00PM EDT)

Seeking Comments

• American Psychological Association: The Task Force on Guidelines for Assessment and Treatment of Persons with Disabilities is seeking comment to proposed Guidelines for Assessment of and Intervention with Individuals Who Have Disabilities.

Grant Opportunity

• National Endowment for the Arts: Statewide Forums on Careers in the Arts for Individuals with Disabilities, FY2010 This project is designed to advance education and career opportunities in the arts for individuals with disabilities.

Study/Research/Reports

• Study Seeks Cancer Survivors Who Had Limitations in Activities of Daily Living Prior to Cancer. The University of Texas in Austin is conducting a two-year study on cancer survivors with pre-existing functional impairments due to disabling conditions such as polio, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury or sensory impairments. The study is funded by the National Cancer Institute.
  
  If you have completed active treatment for your cancer, you are invited to participate in a study to help us understand how cancer survivors who had a functional limitation or disability before being diagnosed with cancer take care of their health. Little is known about the cancer experience of people who had a functional limitation prior to their cancer diagnosis and treatment. Your information will help health care providers work more effectively with survivors such as yourself. Compensation is $25 by completing a questionnaire packet.
  
  If you are a candidate over the age of 21 and have completed active treatment, please call (800) 687-8010 or e-mail at maxhealth@mail.nur.utexas.edu for more information.
• Disability Scoop: Death Penalty 'Inappropriate' For Those With Mental Illness, Report Says
• National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for Youth and the Workforce Strategy Center: Career-Focused Services for Students with Disabilities at Community Colleges (Report)

Other News

• Wall Street Journal: Federal Ban Sought On Student Restraint.
• Washington Post (Video): Getting Back in the Game - At Walter Reed, Wheelchair Basketball Helps Wounded Vets See the Possibilities.
• New York Times: Updating a Standard - Fetal Monitoring
• Disability Scoop: Guilty Plea For One In Texas 'Fight Club' Case
• Disability Scoop: Palin Cites Son With Down Syndrome In Resignation
• Patricia E. Bauer: Autism Speaks sees second resignation over vaccine stance
• Power Wheelchair Racing Association
• Disability is Natural: July 2009 e-Newsletter
• Diversity World: June 2009 e-Newsletter
• Guidestar.org: July 2009 e-Newsletter
• The Campaign for Disability Employment: What Can YOU Do? Video Contest (Deadline to Enter: July 15, 2009)
  
  
  
  YouTube: Campaign for Disability Employment -
  What Can YOU Do? Video Contest

Social Media and Web 2.0

• Beth's Blog - How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: Red Cross Social Media Strategy/Policy Handbook: An Excellent Model.
• Beth's Blog - How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: Guest Post by Amy Sample Ward -Want a peek at my RSS: Here it is!
• Donor Power Blog: How to save your donors' lives.
• Sanky Blog: Building an Integrated Online Fundraising Strategy.
• Nonprofit Marketing Guide: Articles on Nonprofit Marketing and Communications.
• Jay Haydon: Three Powerful Words That Will Increase Your Non-Profit's Results With Social Media.
• TechCrunch: Tweetraising - The Potential For Charities On Twitter.

Guest Post: Mother Knows Best – Helpful Tips for Success in School for Special Needs Students

By Tricia Van Susteren

On September 5, 1988, my son Joey was born 8 weeks early. My first glimpse of him lasted less than 30 seconds. He was blue and silent and was whisked off to be resuscitated. We were naïve at the time he was attempting to make his arrival. The excitement of the impending birth of our first born overshadowed the implications of a way too early arrival. Little by little we began to learn new terminology — apnea, bradicardia, intraventricular hemorrhaging, mild spastic diplegia, and lastly, cerebral palsy. Thus began our new journey of hills and valleys, tears and heartache, laughter and celebrations, and questions with no clear answers.

Because education is a major part of a child's life one of my major concerns was how would Joey do in the schools he was to attend? Would we put him in a school for children with special needs or try mainstreaming him in a public school? How would he be perceived by other students? Would the teachers be sympathetic, and, most of all, would he be given the opportunity and tools to be able to be successful in school and consequently, in life?

For preschool, we placed Joey in a school for kids with special needs where he was extremely successful and happy. After preschool, we made the difficult decision to mainstream him in the public school system.

For early intervention resource information,
visit MyChildWithoutLimits.org

As anything in life, the public school system is not perfect. While Joey journeyed through the public school setting, I experienced it as a parent. Now that I am a middle school teacher in Texas, I am experiencing how things function on the educational side. As a parent of a special needs child and now, as a teacher, the main thing I would like to emphasize is this: don't assume the teacher knows everything about your child.

As a parent, I assumed that the teachers knew what Joey's diagnosis was and knew how to best deal with it. I should have realized this was not the case when during an Admission, Review and Dismissal (ARD), one of Joey's teachers asked me what his diagnosis was. I naturally and wrongfully assumed it was because she hadn't received his Individualized Education Plans (IEP) or just had not read them.

Now, as a teacher, I have had an eye-opening realization. I have learned that due to confidentiality laws, the IEPs don't list the student's diagnosis and most teachers are not experienced, trained nor educated about any of the special needs diagnoses. So as a parent and a teacher, and with some input from my son Joey, I would like to impart some recommendations that I feel will help your child become more successful in school.

1. Make a folder with information on your child for each teacher to give to them at the beginning of the new school year. IEPs are often not given to the teacher until 2 weeks after school begins and as stated before, the IEPs lack helpful information about the student's diagnosis. Needless to say, this can make things frustrating for the student and for the teacher. The folder should contain a brief description of the student's special need(s) with a list of things that you feel would help your child be more successful in school.
2. Try to meet with your child's teachers before or soon after school starts to educate them about your child. As a teacher, I feel it would be very beneficial to make a face-to-face connection with the parent(s) and would be extremely effective to hear helpful advice about your child. The teachers can then ask any questions they may have. Also, depending on his/her age, have your child attend the meeting if possible. They can talk about their concerns and maybe give additional suggestions to the teacher. My son Joey began to attend his ARDs when he was in middle school and it was extremely useful to hear his side of things.
3. Be sure to communicate with your child's teachers at least once every 1 – 2 months whether it be by e-mail or a short meeting. This way you can voice any concerns about your child and the teachers can ask any questions they may have and make any suggestions or modifications we feel could be added to his/her IEPs. For example, this school year I had a special needs student in my class that was very bright and could verbalize excellent answers to any questions. When it came to writing, he had a great deal of difficulty writing down his thoughts so I had him dictate to me what he wanted to say. This modification worked out great and alleviated a great deal of his frustration. I then suggested to his parents and our Special Education Coordinator that his modifications allow him to dictate or tape-record his responses. I also shared this strategy with several of his other teachers and they began to use it with much success. Later in his next ARD, this modification was added to his IEPs.
4. Request that most of your child's teachers attend the ARDs or request a copy of evaluations all of your child's teachers have written. Usually before an ARD, the diagnostician or the special education director will ask each of your child's teachers for an up-to-date evaluation on your child's progress. Most of the time, I wasn't given this in Joey's ARDs nor was I told what each of his teachers evaluations were.
5. With regard to middle school and high school, request that your child be placed in the smaller classes if possible. Most schools will have either a co-teacher or support facilitator in the classrooms that have special needs students so the smaller the amount of students in a classroom will ensure that all students get more assistance from a teacher. Unfortunately this year (2008-2009), my co-taught class had too many students in it (32). It was very frustrating for me to give the one-on-one attention I wanted to give to the special needs students because of the large class size.
6. Have your child attend any after school tutorials if necessary. This way they will receive more one-on-one attention. Another reason for this is that in the middle school setting some students get embarrassed in the classroom if they are receiving a lot of one-on-one attention from the teacher. They sometimes feel singled out. If they attend tutorials then some of this pressure will be alleviated because they will not have their peers around and may feel more comfortable verbalizing their concerns and difficulties to their teachers.
7. Lastly, and most importantly, teach your child to become an advocate for themselves. This is a life strategy that a wonderful high school Special Education Liaison taught Joey. Advocating for himself gave Joey more independence and empowerment in and out of school.

I am proud to say that Joey is now a sophomore majoring in Journalism and Political Science at the University of North Texas. No, the road to college wasn't an easy one and yes, he does still have some difficulties and challenges, but he has grown into an independent and responsible young man. If there is one word of wisdom I can impart to you it would be this: given the right tools, love, independence, and support, a child with special needs can succeed in school and in life.

For more information, contact Trisha Van Susteren or Will Hull at (202) 973-7106.

Take Action: Schedule an Appointment to Meet With Your Congressional Representative in August

Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA) and Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE) have introduced H.R.868, the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2009, known in the previous Congress as H.R.1279.

Background
The Direct Support Professional (DSP) workforce is in crisis. Low wages, coupled with physically and emotionally demanding work, has resulted in high turnover and heavy vacancies in both public institutions and private providers of services. This crisis severely jeopardizes the quality of life for people with disabilities. H.R. 868 would take the first important step in stabilizing the direct support professional workforce—a step to ensure that people with disabilities receive the quality supports and services they need from private providers and state and federal funders.

In fact, H.R. 868 acts as a complement to Long Term Supports and Services in Health Care Reform through supporting the Community Choice Act and the CLASS Act highlighted in another Action Alert request to Members of Congress. Together, H.R. 868, the Community Choice Act and CLASS Act will provide additional resources to help ensure adequate and quality supports and services and help for people with disabilities to live and work in their communities. It does so by establishing a 5-year program to provide participating states with additional Medicaid funds in order to increase wages paid to DSPs.

Like the previous bill, H.R. 1279 during the 110^th Congress, H.R.868 helps address the workforce crisis by giving states a much-needed option to secure additional federal dollars to help alleviate the direct support workforce wage crisis, a key component of much needed health care reform.

Because of the efforts of the WhoWillCare.net community and other advocates in the disability community, like you, the previous wage bill attracted more than 130 Member co-sponsors when Congress adjourned last year.

With each new Congress every bill essentially resets itself and again, we are asking for your help in making this number even larger in the 111^th Congress.

In order to advance this bill in the 111^th Congress, it is imperative to get your Representatives in Congress to sign onto H.R. 868 as a co-sponsor. Soon, during the month of August, Members will be back home in their district. This is the perfect opportunity to call your Representative about this issue and make your voice known.

Now is the time to act—call your local Congressional Representative's office today to set up an appointment to meet with your Representative in August to express why this bill is vitally important to the disability community before his/her schedule is full.

The WhoWillCare.net campaign, as part of the national advocacy campaigns of United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) and the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), have directly contacted Members in Congress as a collaborative coalition, asking them to again co-sponsor H.R. 868. Now is the time for you to reach out and also ask them to co-sponsor the bill. Hearing from you, their constituent will add another level of importance and urgency for Members to become H.R. 868 co-sponsors.

Take Action and contact your Representative today!
Use the Take Action button located at the top right of this Action Alert, then enter your name and full address for a sample letter you can send directly to your Representative.

Additionally, please take the opportunity to call your Member(s) to set up an appointment while they are home in your district in August by following this link to find the information to make your phone call and stress the importance of this bill.

» Find Your Representative Here «
» Spread the Word: Tell a Friend about WhoWillCare.net «

Remember to personalize your message with information about you, your organization and state. Data on your state can be found within ANCOR's 2008 Direct Support Professionals Wage Study, which compares wages among DSPs employed by private providers in your state with those who work for state-run programs.

For more information, on H.R.868 and the workforce crisis, visit the WhoWillCare "Learn More" Web page or contact Will Hull at (202) 776-0406.

Capitol Insider - Week of July 6, 2009

Read Capitol Insider for an overview of the week's most important public policy events.

Information & Referal: Focus on the My Child Without Limits Support Community

Please Visit
MyChildWithoutLimits.org

Have you visited the My Child Without Limits Social Networking Community yet? The community is going strong and to date has over 168 members. Additionally, a few UCP staff from UCP Affiliates have joined as well and provide information and advice to familes of young children with special needs. I encourage all UCP Affiliate Information and Referral staff (and all staff, in general) to sign up and participate. It is a great way to help parents and caregivers and let them know about the wide array of services that UCP Affiliates provide.

Discussion topics include:

• Getting started
• Treatment and therapies
• Learning and playing
• Help for you and your child's life
• Building a support team
• Funding your child's care
• Advocacy for your child

You can start or reply to a discussion topic, create a journal, or even post a video. The possible topics that you can engage in and exchange ideas about are "without limits." Hope to see there soon.

For more information on how to access and participate in the My Child Without Limits Social Networking Community, please contact Lara Terrell at (202) 973-7105.

Annoucements - Week of July 1, 2009

Affiliate News

• UCP of Central Arizona: New Web site.
• UCP of MetroBoston: 2^nd Annual Life Without Limits Walk and Roll a success.
• UCP of Minnesota: 2009 UCPMN Bike Race Results
• UCP of South Central Pennsylvania: York Office has moved to a new location.
• United Cerebral Palsy of Berkshire County: The Berkshire Eagle - Berkshire Talking Chronicle moves from Dalton to Pittsfield
• CP Association in Alberta: 2009 Life Without Limits Challenge (September 19-20, 2009).

Reports

• The Case Foundation: The Giving Challenge - Assessment and Reflection Report. Thousands of individuals competed for donors, donations, and matching awards for their favorite charitable causes as part of the Case Foundation’s first-ever Giving Challenge. The Challenge introduced emerging technologies to millions of people and helped give new significance to the power of individual donors and small donations.

Other News

• Disability Scoop: Wheelchairs Of The Future To Be Controlled By Thought
• Disability Scoop: House Bill Mandates Autism Coverage For Military
• Direct Care Alliance: Ask your Representative to Support a Pay Raise for Direct Support Professionals Please also visit, WhoWillCare.net and YouNeedToKnowMe.org for more information.
• Courier Post Online: Work makes Hennefer an All-Star. Brad Hennefer who has Down syndrome found out Monday morning that he has won the chance to be the Philadelphia Phillies' representative for "All-Stars Among Us," a joint campaign by Major League Baseball and People Magazine to recognize individuals who have gone above and beyond to serve their communities.
• American Association of People With Disabilities (AAPD): Record Number of People With Disabilities Voted in 2008 Election. According to a study by Lisa Schur and Douglas Kruse, professors at the School of Management and Labor Relations, Rutgers University, who have conducted numerous studies on voting and people with disabilities, 3.8 million more people with disabilities voted in the 2008 presidential election than the 2000 presidential election.
• Media dis&dat: Labor Dept. announces National Disability Employment Month theme
• Examiner.com: Naomi Hotta - Creating a More Inclusive Tango Community

Social Networking and Web 2.0

• Empowering People and Changing Lives blog. Be sure to check out Erin's blogroll for more empowering blogs.
• Beth's Blog - How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: Guest Post by Hildy Gottlieb -3 Steps to Success on Facebook
• Beth's Blog - How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: Guest Post by Brian Reich: The Challenge of Communicating In A Connected Society (and what that means to Facebook Causes)
• Donor Power Blog: Decades-long string of final notices undermines nonprofit brand
• Donor Power Blog: What does Gates have that you don't have?
• Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang: Report - Companies Should Organize For Social Media in a "Hub and Spoke" model
• A Small Change: Join an Interactive Community? (survey included).
• The Fundraising Coach: Happy New Year! (Fiscally speaking...)
• Change.org's Nonprofit 2.0 Blog: Change.org launches "Take Action" widgets for e-mail petitions!
• Blog Cottage: 15 Ways to Use Social Media for #FindingTheGood
• The Online Fundraising Blog: Under 30? OnlyUp.org launches next month

UCP of Huntsville & Tennessee Valley Consumer Spotlight: Meet Chloe

Jennifer and Joseph Bush of Huntsville, Tennessee describe their daughter, Chloe, age 2, as a bright, sweet, loving and determined little girl who is trapped inside of a body that is experiencing muscle atrophy.

Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, a terminal illness, Chloe has endured complete respiratory failure and is now permanently ventilator-dependent. Her muscles are too weak to move, including the facial muscles that once allowed her to smile.

However, Chloe's "muscles continue to get weaker, but her mind remains bright and her intelligence is completely unaffected by the illness," Jennifer explained. "She is my inspiration and she continues to show me and all who meet her that happiness and contentment are all a state of mind."

Chloe began receiving UCP services in August 2007 through the Early Intervention (EI) program at the UCP of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley affiliate. Jennifer and Joseph agree that the physical, occupational and speech therapies Chloe receives have been very beneficial for their daughter.

For more
early intervention (EI) resource information,
please visit MyChildWithoutLimits.org

"We have received help and lessons from all of the UCP therapists on how to keep Chloe stimulated both physically and mentally," Jennifer said. "They have provided T.A.S.C.-type toys. They have kept Chloe's muscles and joints growing properly, despite her inability to lift a finger on her own, through physical therapy and occupational therapy. Also, I have received resources through UCP's EI Service Coordinator Jill Stewart who continues to help with our family and individual needs."

Because Chloe is unable to participate in weekly playgroup at the UCP Therapy Center, former UCP Special Instructor, JJ Jayne brought a special playtime experience to the Bush's home.

"We enjoyed our time with JJ thoroughly," Jennifer recalled. "Chloe would smile so big when she saw JJ come through the door. What a joy it was for her that a non-family member was coming to PLAY instead of just for therapy."

"UCP has absolutely been a valuable resource for our family," Joseph added. "Thank you, UCP [of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley], for all you've done for us."

The Bush family cherishes each day with Chloe and is sharing her life's journey with others at Chloe's SMA Angels and Caring Bridge Web sites. Jennifer hopes here to also share the very important life lessons learned from her journey as "Mommy to Princess Chloe."

"It isn't about how fast or physically strong you are," Jennifer explained. "It isn't about having the ability to speak, play, ride a bike or even change positions on your own. Happiness is waking up to see another day, to go ride in your wheelchair while Mommy pushes as fast as she can, to see your favorite cartoons, to be read your favorite stories, and to be with family and friends."

To learn more about all UCP of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley programs and services, please e-mail therapy@ucphuntsville.org or call (256) 852-5600.

Do you have a story that you would like to share with the UCP affiliate network that you would like to be showcased here at UCPeople? Please submit your article via e-mail with photographs to Will Hull at ecoordinator@ucp.org.