“The percentages for her even being alive were very, very slim, so it is amazing to see our daughter’s progress!” – Claire’s mother, Kelli

Claire was a micro-preemie baby, born at 22 weeks, and weighing just 1 pound 1 once. She was in the NICU for 6 months and started therapy at 6 weeks. Because she was born so prematurely, there wasn’t much medical research available to guide expectations for how and when Claire would reach her milestones such as sitting, walking and talking.

Claire’s parents knew of the Achievement Centers for Children, having both been camp counselors at Camp Cheerful during their college years. Knowing they could trust the therapists to provide the best possible care for Claire, they transitioned her physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy to the Achievement Centers. Here, her therapists coordinate their treatment plans to achieve her goals. “Good therapy is life changing. We’re seeing firsthand how supporting Claire through therapies is helping her reach milestones. We know we wouldn’t be where we’re at without her therapies,” said her mother, Kelli.

Today, Claire is a feisty, confident toddler who can “army crawl,” roll on both sides and is starting to express herself with words. The biggest change her mother has seen in Claire is how her body can now relax and her muscles have actually lengthened. During sessions, Claire’s physical therapist, Stephanie, explains what she is doing and why, and provides home programs and supports for the family so everyone on Claire’s “team” works together.

“Being on this journey with Claire makes my husband and me think about how everything is interconnected and how we might take our good health or strong muscles for granted daily, and if you think about it, it makes other problems seem very small. We’re very grateful for our team and all that they do, and all that they’ve done! We are excited to see Claire’s progress!” said Kelli.