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Finding Mika's voice

A fund raising effort has begun to help a seven-year-old Rossland girl who has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS (autism) .
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Mika and her favourite dog

By Genevieve Fortin

Mika is a happy seven-year-old girl who was diagnosed with PDD-NOS (autism) at age five.

We knew our amazing daughter was developing atypically and we started varied therapies from age two. We are now thrilled to report that Son-Rise and Anat Baniel methods are the most effective with Mika.

She is making steady progress: seeks out our company, shows more eye-contact and has developed a greater attention span (we will spare you the statistics) and she now uses around 15 words regularly, expresses her wants more clearly and has been known to contribute to the dinner table conversations from time to time.

If you know Ellie, you know how big of a miracle this is. We've also made humongous progress with toilet training since daddy put in a toilet in Mika's playroom—they are both so proud of their accomplishments.

Thanks to you and all the generous donations we received in the last 12 months. We raised $8,000 towards our $13,000 goal. We've also made it without Mika to the Option institute for a total of three advanced programs in the last 18 months to solidify our home program.

Mom will continue to home school Mika through the summer and started training a new facilitator that will start in September. We will be doing our intensive program with Mika starting Sept. 30. This is awesome and scary news as we are still in need of more funds to make it happen, $5,000 more to be exact.

We're also booked to do lessons in the Anat Baniel method (science-based intervention through movements for the brain to make new connections. This method work in symbiosis with the Son-Rise program focusing on neuroplasticity).

The July and fall sessions will run at $2,000-$3000. We use our personal funds as much as we can and our school funding helps a long ways to pay a teacher/facilitator at home to help me, but between running a gluten and corn free diet with probiotics supplements and the costs of tuition/training we cannot do it alone. Hence our need to fund raise, again.

We are so grateful for the contributions of the community. It's a real lesson in humility every time we receive donations, but we love our daughter and we will do everything to offer her the best chance to find her voice.

Government funding is limited and limiting in its essence. We can't make it work on our resources and government resources alone. And they are not all what Mika needs—we tried them.

School resources are also limited and it was too busy of an environment and over stimulating for her. Right now we can do better controlling her coping behaviours at home.

Fundraising is a humbling venture, especially when I'm asked "why not use the resources available?" You see, we use every resource possible and the question reinforces my convictions for our path with Mika.

We do what we believe in and if it means asking for help, so be it. In exchange, people that give can really impact the life of a little girl, her family and the community she belongs to.

Let us know if you can put us in touch with your social club at work. If your group usually offers funds to amazing causes outside the country, consider contributing to changing the life of a local girl, her sister Ellie, her dad, me and our circle of friends as we are all involved directly and indirectly by her challenges and the path we have chosen to support Mika reaching for the stars.

Thank you so much for supporting our dream for our daughter to be able to express herself and lead a fulfilling and independent life.

 

For more information:

 

You can also send a cheque to:

Finding Mika's voice

Box 2035, Rossland, BC, V0G 1Y0