Damaris

Damaris is a little girl who attends the Sunshine School. She is 5 years old and lives in a christian family. She has a diagnosis of hydrocephalus has lots of trouble walking and controlling her head. Many other activities are challenging for her as well.  While we look to get her braces for her legs that will make walking easier, we are working on getting into kneeling and staying in that position. Maintaining a kneeling position requires a lot of strength and balance. It is very hard for Damaris to get into kneeling but she can finally do it by herself! Once she's there, she can hold the position enough to have a little bit of fun with a ball or a balloon which challenges her balance even more. She is very sweet and LOVES to have her picture taken..she is always looking at me (even when my camera is out of view) and asking.."Posa?" After I take the picture I'm not off the hook as she HAS to look at it..that's what really makes her smile!

 Damaris has an older brother. Her family does not have lots of resources so we hope to be able to help her get the braces she needs through RCE. In Romania it is difficult to find a place that can make braces. Once you find a place, you often discover that they do not make or  have access to the type of braces the child needs. In Damaris' case, she will need braces and special shoes indefinitely. So Paula and I hope we can find something that works for her over the next few weeks.  Damaris can walk with a walker, but if she walked long term without braces she would do significant damage to her feet, knees and hips.

In addition to receiving physical therapy and working on school work each day, Damaris also receives speech therapy at the Sunshine School. Her family is very thankful for all the help the
teachers and therapists at the school have given
Damaris. They are thrilled with her amazing progress!

While Damaris and some of the other children that attend the Sunshine School are from families, many are not. Many of the children walk to school from RCE's Darius Houses. This is where abandoned disabled children live and are cared for. The hope is that we can rehabilitate and educate the children under our care and eventually get them adopted into families in country. In 2004 Romania put a moratorium in place that prohibited international adoption per recommendation of the European Union. We have received word the moratorium may be lifted in the near future..we'll see.