Help Lilly Access Life-Changing Physical Therapy

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I’m raising money for my sweet and strong 3-year-old niece, ልሊ, who has already overcome more than many do in a lifetime. I am not sharing her face to protect her privacy.

Lilly was born at just 22 weeks—extremely premature—and spent her first six months in the hospital fighting to survive. Because of her early birth, she has cerebral palsy and is not yet able to walk, stand, or sit independently. She hasn’t started speaking yet either, but she’s beginning to make sweet sounds like “mama” and “dada,” and recently reached a huge milestone: she started belly crawling!

We’re raising funds to help Lilly access intensive DMI therapy (Dynamic Movement Intervention)—a specialized therapy that helps children with motor challenges build strength, coordination, and independence. Lilly needs 6–8 hours of DMI therapy per week (around 2 hours a day, 3–4 days a week). In our city, therapy costs $150–$300 per hour, and unfortunately, insurance does not cover DMI.

Our dream is to take her to the NAPA Center, one of the best pediatric therapy centers in the country. But there’s no location near us, so we’ll need to travel out of state and stay for several weeks—making it even more expensive.

Every donation will help cover:

• DMI therapy sessions

• Travel and lodging for intensive therapy trips

• Adaptive equipment and therapy supplies not covered by insurance

Lilly is an only child, and both her mom and dad are doing everything they can to support her. But the care she needs to gain independence truly requires a village.

We are so hopeful that with continued therapy, Lilly can gain more independence—like being able to sit up on her own, and one day, even take steps with the help of adaptive equipment.

If you’re able to give, we are truly grateful. And if not, sharing this page is just as meaningful. Thank you for standing with Lilly and cheering her on.