Inspiring Stories

Down syndrome

Melissa is completely at home under the bright lights of a stage, and that's a good thing since she's a professional magician. She and her father Jay perform side by side across the country, and one of their favorite acts tells a story of transformation and compassion.

As the act begins, Melissa shows the audience a seemingly plain black bundle of silk. But as anyone who's seen a magic show knows, things are never as they seem. As the act unfolds, so does the...

Special Education

This summer, I accomplished a dream that few people thought was possible. I was able to walk across the stage to get my high school diploma and then walk down the aisle with my graduating class at Kennedy Krieger High School. Looking out in the crowd to see my mom and friends and teachers standing and clapping for me--it was a moment I'll never forget.

I have cerebral palsy. When I was born, my umbilical cord was wrapped around my neck so tightly that the...

Autism

When Addie Chason was born her parents had big dreams for her future and before long their tiny home seemed too small to contain them. When Addie was 16-months-old, the Chasons found a larger home that seemed just the right place for Addie to grow. It had a yard, a neighborhood full of kids, and a top-notch school nearby.

The Chasons decided to renovate it themselves and in a few short weeks they had painted the interior lovely shades of yellow and blue. Their work...

The playground is a symbol of childhood, a dream of brightly colored slides and ladders, merry-go-rounds and swings. But for some children, like Aidan Gaiser, playgrounds don’t hold the promise of fun. When Aidan was a toddler, he would hover at the edge of the playground, not sure how to play.

His hesitation was a sign of a bigger issue. For his age, Aidan seemed like most children. He knew about seven words, he responded when someone said his name, and he was developing very...