SPECIAL THERAPIES 4 SILENT LUCAS
Donation protected
Special Therapies (Dolphin Therapy, Speech Therapy, Hippotherapy & ABA Therapy ) for my loving Autistic son LUCAS <3 <3 <3
Lucas FB page where you can see and read about his journey and life challenges.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/631703170316792/
I am writing this letter with the hope of attaining the necessary help for my special needs son with the costs associated with attending Dolphin Therapy - Hippotherapy - Speech Therapy - ABA Therapy.
Lucas is 11 yrs old and was born with CHARGE Syndrome.
Babies with CHARGE syndrome are often born with life-threatening birth defects, including complex heart defects and breathing problems. They spend many months in the hospital and undergo many surgeries and other treatments. Swallowing and breathing problems make life difficult even when they come home. Most have hearing loss, vision loss, and balance problems which delay their development and communication. All are likely to require medical and educational intervention for many years. Despite these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, children with CHARGE syndrome often far surpass their medical, physical, educational, and social expectations (The CHARGE Syndrome Foundation).
Lucas has large holes on the retinas of his eyes, suffers from 35% hearing loss, has difficulties with balance and he has G-Tube and wears diapers. Before the age of four, Lucas had open heart surgery to repair five deffects.
He was hooked up to a feeding machine for eighteen hours a day. He was unable to tolerate food and vomited most of the time because of the reflux. Through all of the physical and emotional demands placed on someone so little, Lucas never complained, he just kept smiling. He kept us going. The little fighter did everything possible to be as normal as the other kids around him. He was the fastest crawler in the town. He learnt his alphabet, numbers, colours and shapes by the time he was two and half years old. Lucas started to eat baby food and life was bright again.
Because of Lucas’ breathing problems during the night (he breathed seven times faster than an adult or not at all) doctors observed him in a sleeping study. They found that his oxygen level dropped below 40 % during the night. An emergency tonsillectomy was performed and after three years, we all slept through the night. Unfortunately the remedy for a proper night’s rest came at a high price. The anaesthesia, we believe, triggered Lucas’ AUTISM. Shortly after the surgery, Lucas stopped talking, reacting to his name, recognizing people or even looking at us. He spent most of his day just sitting on his bed, looking into a corner and playing with his tongue or just flapping his hands. We were back to square one again. I cannot begin to express the horrors we were experienced during that time. Lucas was diagnosed with ASD on August 27. 2008
Now, after enormous hard work and love from his family, deaf/blind intervenor and teachers, he is slowly finding his way back. Lucas is communicating using basic ASL, and using special software Proloquo2go where he will put together the sentence and he will play it for us. He can be verbal when is prompted but only people who knows him well would understand him. He is strongly skilled in mathematics, loves to do his homeworks, and loves to do work on the computer, using WordPad proficiently.
In March 2012, we went to Florida where I registered Lucas for dolphin therapy. I strongly believe that dolphin therapy is a rare opportunity to enhance and develop Lucas’ interactive and communicative spectrum and it is only available to him at the Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo, Florida. I am in the process of submitting the application for therapy this year and I wish to surprise my only child Lucas for his 12th birthday in October 2016.
Below are some of the benefits our son can look forward to:
• It has been proven to be directly beneficial to children with autism in bringing about spontaneous language and a feeling of connection to their environment
• 90% of participants become calmer and more focused, and their attention span is increased after dolphin assisted therapy
• 80% of children with autism began pronouncing words and expressions, and communicating better in general
• 75% of the parents of children with autism indicated an improvement of eye contact, smiling, laughing and touching
• 75% of participants have improved emotional behaviour, confidence and self-esteem
These are my reasons to organize a fundraiser to assist with the cost of accommodation, living expenses, and dolphin therapy, while in Florida. The added cost for travel is overwhelming and the financial strain is too much for me to bear alone.
@ Hippotherapy, July 2013
When I look at Lucas, I can see a little man in his body screaming for help, but the wall around him built by his multi-sensory disabilities denies him to be heard. I would like to thank you for being so kind and ask you to join me in breaking down the wall that holds my son hostage. I am asking you to help me to find his way back to a normal life as much as it is possible for him.
I am a very proud mama who cherishes Lucas' hugs and kisses. I adore his smile and sparkling eyes when he is excited. I admire his heart and I love him to pieces. I will do and try everything to make it easier for him because he is worth it. I never used to ask for any help.
However, after 11 years of costs associated with his CHARGE SYNDROME and AUTISM, which my ex-husband and I did our best to provide, I came to the realization and with humility that any help or kindness is welcome and greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time and help,
Zuzana S.
Mother of loving son Lucas
Lucas FB page where you can see and read about his journey and life challenges.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/631703170316792/
I am writing this letter with the hope of attaining the necessary help for my special needs son with the costs associated with attending Dolphin Therapy - Hippotherapy - Speech Therapy - ABA Therapy.
Lucas is 11 yrs old and was born with CHARGE Syndrome.
Babies with CHARGE syndrome are often born with life-threatening birth defects, including complex heart defects and breathing problems. They spend many months in the hospital and undergo many surgeries and other treatments. Swallowing and breathing problems make life difficult even when they come home. Most have hearing loss, vision loss, and balance problems which delay their development and communication. All are likely to require medical and educational intervention for many years. Despite these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, children with CHARGE syndrome often far surpass their medical, physical, educational, and social expectations (The CHARGE Syndrome Foundation).
Lucas has large holes on the retinas of his eyes, suffers from 35% hearing loss, has difficulties with balance and he has G-Tube and wears diapers. Before the age of four, Lucas had open heart surgery to repair five deffects.
He was hooked up to a feeding machine for eighteen hours a day. He was unable to tolerate food and vomited most of the time because of the reflux. Through all of the physical and emotional demands placed on someone so little, Lucas never complained, he just kept smiling. He kept us going. The little fighter did everything possible to be as normal as the other kids around him. He was the fastest crawler in the town. He learnt his alphabet, numbers, colours and shapes by the time he was two and half years old. Lucas started to eat baby food and life was bright again.
Because of Lucas’ breathing problems during the night (he breathed seven times faster than an adult or not at all) doctors observed him in a sleeping study. They found that his oxygen level dropped below 40 % during the night. An emergency tonsillectomy was performed and after three years, we all slept through the night. Unfortunately the remedy for a proper night’s rest came at a high price. The anaesthesia, we believe, triggered Lucas’ AUTISM. Shortly after the surgery, Lucas stopped talking, reacting to his name, recognizing people or even looking at us. He spent most of his day just sitting on his bed, looking into a corner and playing with his tongue or just flapping his hands. We were back to square one again. I cannot begin to express the horrors we were experienced during that time. Lucas was diagnosed with ASD on August 27. 2008
Now, after enormous hard work and love from his family, deaf/blind intervenor and teachers, he is slowly finding his way back. Lucas is communicating using basic ASL, and using special software Proloquo2go where he will put together the sentence and he will play it for us. He can be verbal when is prompted but only people who knows him well would understand him. He is strongly skilled in mathematics, loves to do his homeworks, and loves to do work on the computer, using WordPad proficiently.
In March 2012, we went to Florida where I registered Lucas for dolphin therapy. I strongly believe that dolphin therapy is a rare opportunity to enhance and develop Lucas’ interactive and communicative spectrum and it is only available to him at the Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo, Florida. I am in the process of submitting the application for therapy this year and I wish to surprise my only child Lucas for his 12th birthday in October 2016.
Below are some of the benefits our son can look forward to:
• It has been proven to be directly beneficial to children with autism in bringing about spontaneous language and a feeling of connection to their environment
• 90% of participants become calmer and more focused, and their attention span is increased after dolphin assisted therapy
• 80% of children with autism began pronouncing words and expressions, and communicating better in general
• 75% of the parents of children with autism indicated an improvement of eye contact, smiling, laughing and touching
• 75% of participants have improved emotional behaviour, confidence and self-esteem
These are my reasons to organize a fundraiser to assist with the cost of accommodation, living expenses, and dolphin therapy, while in Florida. The added cost for travel is overwhelming and the financial strain is too much for me to bear alone.
@ Hippotherapy, July 2013
When I look at Lucas, I can see a little man in his body screaming for help, but the wall around him built by his multi-sensory disabilities denies him to be heard. I would like to thank you for being so kind and ask you to join me in breaking down the wall that holds my son hostage. I am asking you to help me to find his way back to a normal life as much as it is possible for him.
I am a very proud mama who cherishes Lucas' hugs and kisses. I adore his smile and sparkling eyes when he is excited. I admire his heart and I love him to pieces. I will do and try everything to make it easier for him because he is worth it. I never used to ask for any help.
However, after 11 years of costs associated with his CHARGE SYNDROME and AUTISM, which my ex-husband and I did our best to provide, I came to the realization and with humility that any help or kindness is welcome and greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time and help,
Zuzana S.
Mother of loving son Lucas
Give $60 to help this fundraiser reach its target.
Organiser
Zuzka Suchankova
Organiser
Etobicoke, ON
