Adriana Adamo Memorial Scholarship

Those of you who know us are well aware of how we absolutely hate to ask for help with anything. This time, however, my husband and I are eagerly seeking the help of all of our friends and family, as well as anyone else who feels compelled to donate. We are setting up a scholarship for therapy at Euro-Peds for children who would not otherwise be able to afford treatment. Euro-Peds provides intensive physical therapy that is specialized for children with cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, spina bifida, and other gross motor disorders. Through therapy sessions at Euro-Peds, which often last for hours at a time, children obtain individualized therapy, and as a result, these children who have had severely restricted mobility are able to gain new skills sets such as sitting, crawling, and walking. Clearly, achieving independence through sitting, crawling and walking is a priceless gift for a child who has never had mobility.

My husband and I have visited Euro-Peds, and we also have a family member who has been treated there and has made enormous strides. We have been so amazed by the children that we have met at Euro-Peds. These kids are fighters, and despite facing enormous hurdles, often since Day 1 of their lives, they are courageous and determined to do the things that the rest of us take for granted. These kids are true heroes in our eyes, and each one of them deserves the opportunity to receive the therapy needed to achieve as much independence as possible.

Providing physical therapy to a child with cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries or other gross motor disorders is a cause that hits very close to home for us. Our firstborn child, Adriana, should be turning 5 this month. Adriana was a full-term, healthy baby when I arrived at the hospital in labor on November 7, 2009. Unfortunately, Adriana’s birth did not go as planned, and 2 weeks later she died from the extreme birth injuries that she sustained. Had Adriana lived, she would have suffered from severe cerebral palsy.

There are no words to express how traumatic it is to watch as your baby physically suffers from the moment that she is born. We often think of the families whose babies were also injured at birth, or suffered other complications, but lived. We hope that this scholarship will make a real difference for a child. Our wish is that this scholarship will allow a child to take the steps that Adriana never got to take.

Happy 5th birthday Adriana. We love you.