Mary’s daughter Ainsley is 11 years old with autism and Down syndrome. Despite being a healthy, vibrant girl she is continually working on developing her gross motor skills and speech so she can access more of the world around her and can communicate with more confidence.
Mary is right there with her to be a source of love, encouragement and to facilitate the support she needs to thrive. However, she can’t do it alone and thanks to Variety, she doesn’t have to.
As a busy parent of a child with complex health needs, Mary faced the weight of which therapies to pursue. With the average funding grant at $2,800, the costs without support are daunting and out of reach for many.
Today, Ainsley’s weekly schedule includes around six specialized therapies in addition to medical and school appointments. Despite the hectic nature of their lives, Mary is incredibly thankful for where they are at and credits Variety’s support for her sense of accomplishment as a strong mom.
“When you’re a parent of a child with complex health needs, there are so many demands on you: financial, emotional, physical, and so much more. But if someone is able to lighten that load, it makes such a huge difference,” says Mary. “Variety has helped my child learn to talk, walk, and even swim.”
Support from Variety has been nothing short of transformative with funding for speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, mobility equipment and education assistance. Swim physiotherapy introduced Mary to a skill she never thought Ainsley would develop – the ability to swim.
“Swim physiotherapy has been instrumental in Ainsley walking, making her stronger and increasing her endurance,” says Mary. “She can swim half a length of a pool on her own without any assistance! Swimming was far off my radar, but she is doing it, and we owe all of this to Variety for making it happen!”
Aside from reaching milestones they never considered, perhaps most importantly, this help has provided Mary with invaluable recognition that her child deserves to thrive.
“When people donate to Variety, it shows that they know my child is worthy and deserving like all kids are.”