Specialized Transition Program

Tell a kid to do three repetitions of 15 pushups or 25 leg lifts or any of the other myriad exercises that physical therapists assign during a regular session, and the automatic response might be a roll of the eyes and a groan before relenting—only to tucker out and lose focus or motivation before it’s over.

If you've ever doubted how quickly your life can be turned upside down, just ask the Bahen family. On Monday, Nov. 14, 2000, the Bahens' 5-year-old daughter Nicole joined her friends for her usual afternoon dance class. By Sunday Nov. 20, Nicole lay in intensive care recovering from surgery, unable to speak, roll over or swallow, nearly paralyzed on her right side. Such is the swift devastation of a pediatric brain tumor.

Riding a bicycle comes as second nature to most 15-year-old boys. But for Richie Jacob, it was a major milestone. Three months earlier, Richie couldn't walk. He could barely talk. Doctors gave him a 50 percent chance of survival.

For the Frost family, the first miracle happened when their family survived a horrific car crash that could easily have ended in tragedy.

When you first look at Brianna Robinson, you might not realize that she has cerebral palsy. She does a lot of the same things most other 2 1/2-year-old girls do: she walks and runs, plays with dolls and eagerly reaches for favorite treats. But look closer and you notice that while Brianna enjoys a lot of the same games and activities as other kids her age, she tends to do them with just one hand. The type of cerebral palsy Brianna has causes hemiplegia, in which one side of the body is weaker and less coordinated than the other.