Adaya McDowell, age 10

Top: Photograph by Lauren Harrah (2021); Below: Photograph by Lauren Harrah (2020)

Girl plays xylophone in a park Adaya has a big, sassy personality and an infectious smile that grabs everyone’s attention as soon as they see her. She is kind to everyone, loves big, and laughs often. She never meets a stranger and impacts people immediately.

Adaya loves to play with her Barbie dolls, American girl dolls, swim, and spend time with family and friends. Adaya says her Granna is her role model because she is kind and caring. She loves how Granna dresses up with her jewelry like Adaya.

A traumatic brain injury due to RYR-1 Genetic Mutation, an underlying genetic condition, caused Adaya to lose her ability to do many things. Adaya has had to overcome many obstacles and work very hard to progress to where she is today. Her works diligently at six therapy appointments weekly to help gain back what she has lost. Five years post incident, she is still making progress!

Family Connection of South Carolina provides services and resources to families who have a child with a disability or specialized healthcare need. Since 1990 we have served more than 100,000 families and today our services are needed more than ever. We focus on parent-to-parent support, guidance with navigating the complex healthcare system, and assistance with school meetings and special education plans.

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