Zoey was born on a beautiful day in June, 2007. She was a healthy and active 8lbs at birth, so we never suspected that in just two short months she would be fighting for her life. When Zoey was just shy of being two months old, she began having seizures. We took her to our local Emergency Room, where they discovered that she was bleeding into her brain. Within a few hours, she went from being awake and alert to being comatose and unable to breathe on her own. She was life-flighted to Arnold Palmer Children\'s Hospital, where she was given multiple blood transfusions and was placed on a ventilator. She stayed at APH for nearly a month. During that time it was discovered that she had Septo-Optic Dysplasia, a congenital condition that causes blindness, hormone deficiencies and neurological abnormalities.

 

Zoey has been in and out of the hospital a great deal in her two years of life. She is developmentally delayed, visually impaired and suffers from several difficult neurological conditions. She is currently non-mobile and non-verbal, but we work hard with her every day to help her fulfill her potential. Through all of the hardships she has faced, Zoey has always maintained a sweet and sunny disposition that causes everyone who knows her to love her deeply. Her smile lights up even the darkest situations, and her laughter eases our nearly constant worry. She has the potential to do all of the things that other children her age can do, and we will continue to find new ways to help her overcome the obstacles that stand between her and independent movement. This therapy is a crucial part of our goal: We want to keep Zoey out of a wheelchair. We want to see her walk and play with her brother and sisters. We can do it with your help.