It is often said that when life hands you lemons; make lemonade. Nothing could be truer when telling the story of our beloved son Robert Papandrea. Robbie was born with a rare genetic chromosome disorder named 1Q44 deletion syndrome. It has impacted his life in every way. He has challenges with bilateral coordination, cognitive skills, and overall physical development. Despite all of Robbie’s developmental delays, he always wears a smile on his face.
Upon hearing and fully understanding of Robbie’s disorder, our family was frustrated and disheartened. However, it was through Robbie’s happiness, unwavering kindness, and love that made us (and himself) persevere. Robbie has been with Keep Moving Forward for over three years. When he first started, he had difficulty sitting and could not crawl. His movement was limited in terms of mobility. Robbie struggled, but never gave up. He continues to work through his tears because ultimately, he enjoys to please the people he loves. Robbie also enjoys his newfound independence of improved mobility.
Over the years, Robbie has progressed significantly. A child that could not crawl turned into a proud boy that can now take steps independently. Through the hard work of the staff at KMF, Robbie has found unbound happiness in his mobility and continues to do well. He is an extremely happy, loveable and eccentric little boy. We are extremely grateful as a family for the sweet lemonade we have found.

Jenna (Robbie’s Mom)