December 22, 2016. My personal D-Day. Diagnosis Day. A day that will always be with me. The day that a pen was put to paper officially diagnosing my daughter, my little girl, the light of my life, with Cerebal Palsy. The “CP” term had been floated by me for several months, but I kept thinking, “no way, she is just developing at her own pace.” Ellie was 21 months old.

On that day, my role evolved. I would not only be Ellie’s mother and protector, but also her biggest fan, her cheerleader, her advocate, her voice, her researcher, her role model, and she would be my superhero. I made a promise to her that day that I would never stop until I couldn’t, or she told me to stop.

As I started to navigate through our new “normal” of various therapies and doctor appointments, I continued to look for any other option outside of her standard therapy that could assist Ellie during early development and ultimately allow her to lead a life where she didn’t feel she had boundaries. This quest is what led me to Amy and her team at Keep Moving Forward.

In the 3 months that Amy and Amanda have worked with Ellie, now 2 and ½ years old, I have seen a noticeable, positive change in her strength, stamina, and endurance. Ellie walks with more confidence, has a straighter posture, and attempts stairs on her own. These are just a few of her major accomplishments that make me smile- so proud of Ellie.

I believe we have seen such a strong outcome with KMF due to Ellie’s determination and desire to push herself, but more importantly Amy and her team’s ability to creatively make therapy fun. I feel strongly this balance is truly what has made Ellie excel to where she is today. I am so honored to be Ellie’s mom. She has taught me more than I ever thought was possible. She is by far the strongest little girl I know – both physically and mentally. It is a joy to watch the excitement in her face each time she hits another goal. The goals were never verbalized to her, but she knows when she hits them…It’s pretty clear by the animated excitement in my face followed by a superhero-sized high five. Proud mom moment.

Thank you is not enough. You have shown my little girl the sky is the limit.

 -Ashley, mom to a superhero