Lily is the kind of girl who laughs and giggles from the moment she wakes up to the moment she goes to bed. If there is a book nearby, she will happily climb into your lap so you can read to her. She LOVES books, being on the move, and exploring the world around her. Lily will walk circles around you, climb stairs just for fun, and light up during bath time or swimming as she blows bubbles in the water. Though she cannot run yet, she loves to be chased and is a super speed walker. She is nonverbal, but she always finds a way to make her needs and presence known.
If you looked at Lily, you would simply see a happy, bubbly girl who is always moving and giggling. You might not realize the challenges she has faced since being born at 28 weeks, weighing just 1 lb. 14 oz. She spent three months in the NICU and showed incredible strength from the very beginning. Within her first year, her family noticed developmental delays and later learned she was experiencing hundreds of seizures each day. With the right care and medication, her seizures are now controlled. Genetic testing also revealed a rare gene deletion, adding to her medically complex journey, which includes cerebral palsy, vision impairment, epilepsy, autism, global developmental delays, and much more. Lily doesn’t see her disabilities—she is simply Lily, fearlessly and wonderfully made.
Today, Lily continues to receive a variety of therapies and is thriving in kindergarten. She is working hard to communicate in her own way, using buttons, guiding others, and learning to use her augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. Her resilience, determination, and joyful spirit continue to inspire her family and everyone around her, reminding them daily of the power of love and perseverance.