In the last year, The Arc has lost funding from two of its major supporters and we have had to reduce our staff by 40%. While our purpose remains relevant and we continue to be committed to our work, it is a struggle to be able to provide the services to the community that are so desperately needed. With your support, we will continue to accomplish our work of helping people to have a quality of life that is meaningful for them.

Developmental disabilities can hit anyone’s family. In March of 2007, Alice and Don Forsythe were given the devastating news that their eight-month-old daughter, Alice, had brain damage and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. To this day, they do not know what caused the damage to her brain. Somewhat numb and having no idea what to expect, they called the Durham Child Development Services Agency (CDSA) and were paired up with a service coordinator, who was empathetic to their situation, but even more, ready and willing to get Alice the services she needed and help them in any way she could right away. After a series of home evaluations, Alice began multiple therapies to help all of them adjust to her special needs.

Alice has very little to no control over her muscles, and is completely immobile and nonverbal. Every week, she receives physical, occupational, speech, and feeding therapy—all provided at no cost to the Forsythe’s through the CDSA. Alice has also received many positioning and mobility devices that give her the ability to sit properly and allow her to use her muscles. Without this equipment, Alice would not be able to experience weight bearing or mobility, or even be fed properly, all of which would be detrimental to her overall health and development.

In July when Alice will turn three, she will no longer be eligible to be in the Infant/Toddler program. They hoped that she would transition to a program for older children by way of CAP resources, but have since learned of the drastic budget cuts to all developmental services in North Carolina. Alice’s chances of receiving CAP are less than slim, so they have to rely on insurance to cover her therapy costs, which is also getting cut because they are covered by the state employee health plan. Their service coordinator referred them to us at The Arc of Durham County; we were able to provide the Forsythes with funds to assist with paying for Alice’s therapies.

People take for granted everyday what their bodies allow them to do. Alice is dependent on others to do everything for her, from basic feeding and toileting to helping her scribble on paper. Nobody chooses a life of disability, and the people who dedicate their lives to serving those in need are invaluable to the health and well-being of adults and children with disabilities, as well as their families. We hope that you will join us in providing support to families like Alice’s so that these children and adults can be able to be part of the community. We can’t do it alone, so let’s take that first step together!