Profile:
Name:  Spencer L. Gray
Nickname:  “Froggy”, “Little Brian”, “Little Dr. Gray”  
Age 11

Diagnosis:
Cerebral Palsy (see www.ucp.org for information)
CVS (see www.cvsaonline.org for information)

Current Therapies:
Private Occupational Therapy 1x per wk
Equine Angels Physical Therapy (Horseback or Aquatic) 1x per wk
Equine Angels Speech Therapy 1x per wk
Equine Angels Craniosacral Therapy 1x per wk

Ambulatory Status:
Non-ambulatory.  Spencer uses a power chair, which he refers to as his truck!

Self-Help Skills:
Spencer lives at home with his parents, Brian and Gina, and his 15-year-old sister, Alexis. He is unable to feed or dress himself and requires hands-on assistance for all of his daily needs 24/7.  Fortunately, he is still small enough to be transferred easily.  However, since he cannot roll himself over, he must be repositioned whether lying or sitting several times throughout the day and night.

Favorite Things:
Spencer’s favorite things are Frogs, Cows, SpongeBob, Big Trucks, Trailers, Whales and Dolphins.

Expressive Communication:
Spencer speaks “Spencer-ese”, consisting of a few words, most of which sound alike.  He forms most of his words by sounding out the 2 major consonants in that word.  He has a very clear “yes” and “no”.  He is learning to communicate using a device provided by the Equine Angels Speech Therapy Program.

Receptive Communication:
He understands everything said to and about him including words, emotions, concepts, feelings, etc.  He has an amazing memory and people often underestimate his ability to comprehend, simply because he is a non-verbal communicator.

Education:
His special personal assistant, Samantha Ferrie, home schools him.  She works with his Speech Therapist, Laurie Long, to implement an age appropriate educational curriculum with an emphasis on improving his ability to communicate all that he knows to others.

Favorite Things To Do:
His favorite things to do are go fishing and hunting with his Dad, Go to PBR Bull Riding, talk about his favorite things and cook with his Mom, and swim with dolphins.

Spencer is a wonderful child who is a pure joy to be around.  Emotionally, he is sensitive, sweet, and in tune with all people.  He is very strong willed, persistent, and particular, especially about his belongings.  There is nothing medically wrong with his brain.  In fact, he is quite intelligent, but if you do not know how to communicate with a non-verbal child, you will never be able to share in all that he does know.

His biggest obstacle is that although his brain knows exactly what he wants to ask his body to do, his muscles do not accurately receive the messages.  Therefore, his body does not respond properly.  Most movements require repeated requests until eventually; he is able to accomplish what he sets out to do.  He NEVER gives up!  However, every activity throughout every day does require assistance.  This is what Cerebral Palsy is to him.

Spencer’s physical challenges are extensive, and he will require intense therapy intervention throughout his lifetime.  All of us who love him and know him well are still holding onto hope that he will eventually talk and gain enough upper body strength to be independent one day.
He responds best to non-traditional Physical and Occupational Therapies like Horseback, Aquatic, and Craniosacral Therapy.  These exceptional treatment modalities target his unique combination of body “issues” such as increased muscle tone, upper body weakness, fine motor limitations, and range of motion restrictions.  He deserves to have the best treatments administered by qualified, licensed professionals, which he always gets at Equine Angels Special Therapy Center.
Spencer has endured 2 major hip surgeries to prevent dislocation, and eye surgery to correct strabismus.  His annual special needs include physical, occupational and speech therapy, assistive mobility aids, adaptive seating aids, assistive communication devices, orthotics for his feet, splints for his hands, glasses, and surgeries.  These medical needs cost his family $50,000 - $75,000 per year!

The Equine Angels Special Therapy Center Program eases the financial burden for our family by providing Spencer with 2 of the therapies he needs on a weekly basis.  At Equine Angels, donations are solicited for the sponsorship of each participant in lieu of charging for the services.  The amount needed for each child to receive 2 therapy sessions a week for 1 year is $12,000.  Your contribution is needed today.  Please help us help Spencer achieve his goals!

Greatest Current Need:
Spencer received his new power chair last fall and it is fantastic.  We will spend the next 5 years paying it off, and then he will need a new one.  At this time, we are in dire need of an appropriate and safe car seat and an eating chair for Spencer.  These will have to be custom designed and built to meet his special needs for support in the seated position.  We also need to reconstruct one of the bathrooms in our home to create a place where we can bathe Spencer safely.  This too is a custom design project.  We recently had new orthotics made, which is an expense, which recurs every 3-5 years and is costing $2,200 out of pocket this time.  When added together, his greatest current needs will more than likely exceed $15,000.

Select here to make a contribution toward sponsoring Spencer Gray.