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Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back ZOE 2022 Lansdowne Charity Motorcycle Ride Ambassador "My name is Zoe. I am a 12 year old loving with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a motor neuron disease that affects the voluntary muscles in my body. My condition causes me to have weakness throughout my body and confines me to a power wheelchair to get around. Make no mistake though – I live my life to the fullest! I love spending time with my friends and siblings, love school, camping, baking and so much more. I really love the recreation programs at Lansdowne and have made some great friendships with the other children and staff. This is a place free of judgment that helps me explore my independence and creativity. We are thankful for the programming at the Centre!" - Zo(e) Through these programs, Zoe is able to see that she is not alone. She is free from judgment, and she feels valued, and a sense of belonging. She has made friendships with other children (and even the staff!), explored her creativity and independence, learned new things, and most of all, had so much fun and made so many memories. Along with the rec programs, Zoe also accesses physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and social workers, all of which has helped her tremendously. They have helped our family navigate through endless paperwork to get Zoe all of the equipment and support she needs. "We truly don't know what we do without the help of Lansdowne. Zoe is thrilled to be this year's ambassador so she can show her praise for Lansdowne and all they have done for her and our family." - Mom, Mandy The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back JOSHUA 2021 Lansdowne Heroes Walk and Roll Ambassador Joshua is 6 years old, finishing grade 1. He is the youngest of three children. Joshua has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and his older sibling also has multiple diagnoses, which impacts his daily life. He loves to spend time with his family, going on adventures, camping, hiking and any type of water fun. Joshua began his Lansdowne journey through speech therapy and after his diagnosis, he was able to participate in IBI therapy full time. He thoroughly enjoys recreation therapy, which helps him develop good social skills, as well as make new friends. He is such a kind, caring, helpful little guy. He can put a smile on anyone’s face. The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back MADELYN 2023 Lansdowne Heroes Walk and Roll Ambassador Madelyn and her twin sister Brooke were born healthy babies with no complications. You wouldn’t know by looking at them, but they are twins, born 10 minutes apart. They met all of their milestones as babies, rolling over, walking etc. It wasn’t until approximately 18-24 months old that their parents started to notice some strange behaviours and their development was starting to stall in certain areas. Both girls showed a delay in speech, having very little, to no communication, both verbally and non-verbally. They also lacked social skills, and they preferred to be by themselves or only with their parents. Their play was also delayed for their age; no pretend or imitation play. They also showing signs of stimming; arm flapping, repetitive head or finger movements, and tip-toe walking. The girls started at Lansdowne with the early integration program that would assist the girls while at daycare. With the help of their LCC support, daycare staff, and their pediatrician, both girls were referred to Dr. Klein for an official Autism diagnosis in The Spring of 2020. As soon as they received their Autism diagnosis, they gained access to a variety of resources from Lansdowne, starting with speech therapy and some occupational therapy. Even though Covid caused a province wide lockdown, putting a halt on services, Brooke and Madelyn were able to attend in center sessions when safely possible. Both girls progressed, and were able to express their wants and needs using non-verbal communication system called PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System). Once the girls started kindergarten, they started in the ABA program at Lansdowne. Through this program, their progress really accelerated, and they have really excelled in many different areas. Madelyn, who was mostly non-verbal starting the program, is now having conversations, following instructions and answering questions. She will tolerate undesired activities and has learned other ways to direct her frustrations. Brooke is now able to communicate her wants and needs more consistently, both verbally and non-verbally. They have both learned to tolerate undesired activities, and learned skills to become more independent. Brooke and Madelyn have been able to participate in many recreation programs offered through Lansdowne such as March break camp, summer camp, community corner program& Saturday Socials program. They love going to these activities as it gives them a chance to explore new things at their own pace, making it a much more enjoyable experience. Their parents have also taken advantage of the Lansdowne Resource Centre, Autism Clinics, and Parent Events. Lansdowne has given the whole family all the resources they need. Whenever their parents have a question or concernarise, their Lansdowne team is always quick with tips, tricks, recommendations and willing to brain storm to come up with solutions that are geared to each child’s unique individual needs and interests. Both Madelyn and Brooke love coming to Lansdowne. You can often see them in the halls; Madelyn skipping with a basket of toys or Brooke with her beloved books in her hand. The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back ISAIAS & GABE Isaias is a newly 16-year-old young man. He is currently experiencing his second year of high school and is super creative and talented. His goal is to be a game designer when he grows up. He also loves to try out voice impersonations. He is a sponge and loves to learn, is compassionate, loving, caring, and funny. He is eager to help those around him. Many of Isaias's success can be attributed to the years of time spent with Lansdowne Children's Centre. Gabriel is currently 13 years old (going on 14 this summer). He is preparing for grade 9 this coming September. Gabriel, much like his brother is a sponge and enjoys learning. Constantly pushing himself to meet goals. His dream is to become a paleontologist. Gabriel is outgoing, funny, caring and loving. Like his brother Isaias, Lansdowne has been a huge puzzle piece in propelling Gabriel forward to the success he is today! Isaias and Gabriel are not only brothers but best friends. Isaias is full of facts and can grab your attention in an instant to teach you all about something. He has mad dance skills and is just as talented at yoga! Gabriel is very thoughtful and it shows in everything he does from a kind word to a creative project. He loves dinosaurs and it would be impossible to stump him on any dinosaur-related information! The care and support they show each other is heartwarming and they will offer that same support to their peers. Gabriel is always there to give a friend an uplifting compliment during a creative project and Isaias can always recognize when someone is feeling down and needs a friend. “The Brothers” can always be relied on to bring their contagious enthusiasm to any activity or event! The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back MASON 2022 Lansdowne Heroes Walk and Roll Ambassador Story submitted by Mason’s Mom (Karissa Boughner) Mason was born at 27 weeks gestation weighing just 1.8lbs. Due to his weakened lungs, he required a lengthy hospital stay of 451 days at McMaster Children's Hospital. While there, he underwent numerous treatments, 3 surgeries and some very scary days to ultimately come home. Since Mason needed breathing support he had surgery for a tracheostomy in order to be able to be ventilated at home. As his parents, we did extensive training for three months to ensure his safety and set-up a mini intensive care unit in our living room. “Once arriving home, our family turned to Lansdowne for support. Mason needed help to develop the skills he didn't get the opportunity to during his first year and we needed guidance on the supports and resources available.” Despite the pandemic, Landowne adapted to provide virtual and outdoor sessions to ensure Mason could be kept safe but still develop his skills. We were directed to the HITs (Holistic Integrated Teams) as his needs were dispersed amongst several areas. The physiotherapist on the team was able to see Mason outside and observe his movements and stance. She was able to determine that Mason would benefit from wearing SMOs (a foot brace) to help support his gross motor skills and directed us to a business that could provide them. The occupational therapist created virtual sessions to engage Mason in various sensory play and fine motor tasks. She was able to recommend different strategies to help Mason overcome his sensory avoidance and strengthen his long fingers for fine motor tasks. The speech language pathologist provided guidance on how to develop Mason's communication skills through play despite Mason not being able to talk. He also submitted the paperwork for Mason to have access to a communication device. The social worker would touch base with us to ensure financial and emotional resources were being utilized as needed. Lansdowne helped our family to transition home from a hospital setting and ensured we were getting the help we needed. The biggest thing they did is instill confidence in us as parents that we were doing the right things and supporting us in the decisions we made for Mason's development plan. Lansdowne continues to provide support in Mason's development today. They helped him to have a successful entry to daycare by providing strategies to us and the provider on how to ease his transition into the new environment. He is currently learning to interact with other kids his age and follow routines. Lansdowne has also helped to prepare a report for his transition to school in the upcoming months and provide timelines of meetings to discuss his safety plans. We are very appreciative to Lansdowne for helping us to navigate Brantford as a parent of a medically complex child! The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back KENDRA 2021 Lansdowne Heroes Walk and Roll Ambassador Kendra is 9 years old and was born with a serve form of Spina Bifida, Myelomeningocele and Hydrocephalus. These conditions have affected her both physically and mentally. She loves to go on long walks and hikes if it is wheelchair accessible to her and also loves to go swimming and doing lots of arts and crafts! She is a very social person; she always has a smile on her face and will do what she can to keep a smile on yours! Lansdowne has been an amazing support for Kendra throughout her life, and she currently has ongoing help from Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and a Child & Youth worker. She loves the recreational programs and the Kids Country Inn. She has used speech therapy before school as well and is grateful for these programs and services. The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back BROOKLYN 2020 Lansdowne Heroes Walk and Roll Ambassador Brooklyn is just like any other 11 year old girl you might know. She loves to play with her friends, socialize on Facebook Messenger, play on her iPad and at times, torment her younger brother and sister. She loves Disney Descendants, DC SuperHero Girls, dance, and making movies with her friends. She can often be found in her room fixated on the latest Youtube videos or playing with her massive collection of LOL dolls. She was also born with a rare neurologic disorder called episodic ataxia that drastically affects her fine motor, gross motor and speech abilities. Brooklyn may not be able to walk or talk like the average 11 year old girl but she has the same hopes, dreams and desires as any other child her age. Lansdowne Children’s Centre has been an integral part of her development since a very young age when she was first enrolled with physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and early integration program soon followed, along with the recreation program as she approached the appropriate age. "When Brooke first became involved with Lansdowne Children’s Centre we were simply following Doctor’s orders. It soon became clear to us that this was a group of people who would help shape who she will grow to become. The staff are committed to ensuring a safe, inclusive environment for all. They have been an excellent resource to us as the parents of a special needs child and we can safely say that Brooke would not be the well-adjusted, social child that she is today if it weren’t for their help." The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back AEVA Aeva is hilarious, creative, clever, cheerful, and very, very determined. She has been through much more in her 11 years and still has some struggles she deals with daily. These struggles sometimes prohibit her from doing things that other kids her age get to do. She loves to dance and be around other people. She loves trying new things and is very creative in figuring out how to adapt activities to suit her needs. She has finally met her match in the Therapeutic Recreation (TR) team at Lansdowne Children’s Cnetre. They are also hilarious, creative, clever, cheerful, and very determined that “all” kids who come to the program are included, whatever they may look like. They even managed to get me to consent to Aeva travelling to The Factory (kidtastic or big kids and adults), in London with them! I wasn’t even hardly, barely, kind of worried…maybe…lol. She had a blast, and it may have looked different from the other kids in the group, but they made sure she had just as good a time. Aeva has been involved with the dance group at LCC for a few years now. She loves it, and her teacher and helpers always make sure she is able to fully participate. Because of her health and physical issues, I can’t just drop Aeva off at any program or class. But because of the TR team’s knowledge and experience, I can drop her off at program there, and know she will be fully involved. When the Recreation Therapy Supervisor found out that Aeva wanted to join her brother at DIY camp she alleviated my fears of my girl with a hammer, and assured me they would love to have her join. For a mom who often gets the impression that her child can’t be accommodated…that was huge. For a mom who often does wrecking jobs with her daughter, it was nerve racking, but everyone survived. The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back TATUM 2022 Recipient of the Terry Fisher Art Award Hi my name is Tatum Wilkes and I am 13 years old. I have been attending Lansdowne Children’s Centre since I was 3 years old when I started with speech therapy. Over the next 10 years I have also participated in the physiotherapy and occupational therapy programs as well as the many Therapeutic Recreation programs such as cooking classes, dance, March break and summer camps and weekend retreats. The support, patience and kindness of the dedicated staff have made my experiences fun and challenging. I really enjoy my time and experiences at Lansdowne and I appreciate the opportunities it has given me. I have been able to increase my strength, develop new skills, build my self-esteem, meet new peers and increase my confidence with social interactions. I am so thankful and appreciative for the chance to be a part of the Lansdowne Children’s Centre. The Recreation programs are a way for me and my peers to enjoy things like camps, sleepovers, dance classes, cooking classes and so much more. It gives every one of us a chance to learn new things and have lots of fun and I mean it…. lots and lots of fun together. We are all given a chance to have fun, be happy and enjoy time with our friends and the Staff. It also gives our parents a break and we all know they need it. Seriously we all know they need it!!!! Am I right or what? I have to say my favorite program is… well I have to think about this one… well I made up my mind I just don't like them… I love them all. It's so hard to choose just one. The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back ISABELLE Isabelle is an energetic 11 year old girl, the eldest of three & currently in grade 6 at St. Pius X Elementary School. She is a funny, dynamic and caring young girl. Isabelle enjoys a wide variety of activities and hobbies. Her most favourite are making slime, as well as doing arts and crafts. She also enjoys baking, and being able to attend Lansdowne recreation programs, where Isabelle gets to do all of those things. Since attending Lansdowne recreation programs, Isabelle has become more independent, is working at being able to advocate for herself, as well as assist with younger peers. Isabelle is on the autism spectrum as well as suffering from severe anxiety but, the wonderful staff at Lansdowne Children's Centre make her feel so comfortable and included that sometimes she doesn’t want to leave. Isabelle’s ability to set personal goals and to recognize not only her own, but her peer’s progress makes her an exceptional participant and role model to others in the Therapeutic Recreation programs. The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back BROOKE 2023 Lansdowne Heroes Walk and Roll Ambassador Brooke and her twin sister Madelyn were born healthy babies with no complications. You wouldn’t know by looking at them, but they are twins, born 10 minutes apart. They met all of their milestones as babies, rolling over, walking etc. It wasn’t until approximately 18-24 months old that their parents started to notice some strange behaviours and their development was starting to stall in certain areas. Both girls showed a delay in speech, having very little, to no communication, both verbally and non-verbally. They also lacked social skills, and they preferred to be by themselves or only with their parents. Their play was also delayed for their age; no pretend or imitation play. They also showing signs of stimming; arm flapping, repetitive head or finger movements, and tip-toe walking. The girls started at Lansdowne with the early integration program that would assist the girls while at daycare. With the help of their LCC support, daycare staff, and their pediatrician, both girls were referred to Dr. Klein for an official Autism diagnosis in The Spring of 2020. As soon as they received their Autism diagnosis, they gained access to a variety of resources from Lansdowne, starting with speech therapy and some occupational therapy. Even though Covid caused a province wide lockdown, putting a halt on services, Brooke and Madelyn were able to attend in center sessions when safely possible. Both girls progressed, and were able to express their wants and needs using non-verbal communication system called PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System). Once the girls started kindergarten, they started in the ABA program at Lansdowne. Through this program, their progress really accelerated, and they have really excelled in many different areas. Madelyn, who was mostly non-verbal starting the program, is now having conversations, following instructions and answering questions. She will tolerate undesired activities and has learned other ways to direct her frustrations. Brooke is now able to communicate her wants and needs more consistently, both verbally and non-verbally. They have both learned to tolerate undesired activities, and learned skills to become more independent. Brooke and Madelyn have been able to participate in many recreation programs offered through Lansdowne such as March break camp, summer camp, community corner program& Saturday Socials program. They love going to these activities as it gives them a chance to explore new things at their own pace, making it a much more enjoyable experience. Their parents have also taken advantage of the Lansdowne Resource Centre, Autism Clinics, and Parent Events. Lansdowne has given the whole family all the resources they need. Whenever their parents have a question or concernarise, their Lansdowne team is always quick with tips, tricks, recommendations and willing to brain storm to come up with solutions that are geared to each child’s unique individual needs and interests. Both Madelyn and Brooke love coming to Lansdowne. You can often see them in the halls; Madelyn skipping with a basket of toys or Brooke with her beloved books in her hand. The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back OWEN Hello, my name is Owen Wilson. I am a 12-year-old energetic young man. I really like poutine and pizza and have recently got my gun and hunting license because I think it’s cool to go to the range with my Dad. My Mom and my Uncle own Ken’s Towing and since I was five years old I could help run the controls on the tow truck. When it’s a PD day from school I go to the shop with my Mom and she lets me go on calls with the drivers and I get to talk on the two-way radio, which is cool. I like to build things with my lego, right now I have a remote-controlled lego tow truck that I am working on, it is pretty hard but with my determination I know I will complete it. In the summertime, I enjoy lending a hand cutting grass for people. I have really enjoyed the programs at Lansdown Children Centre especially the Stemotics workshop, social club, and going swimming. I enjoy the social aspect of these programs. I was enrolled in the DIY/Horticulture workshop and really enjoyed that because I got my hands dirty. If you asked my family and friends to describe me they would say I am a caring, compassionate, loveable guy with a big heart of gold, a positive role model, and can give you words of encouragement if you are down. The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us