Giving kids a hand

By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HOWLAND -- Cheyenne Star Naylor tells her therapist she wants to place the plastic slices of pizza into the bed of a toy truck.
As Lisa Pirock stands behind the 5-year-old, she supports the weight of the little girl's body, helping Cheyenne to bend her legs so she can reach down and drop the red and yellow pizza slice into the brown vehicle.
Cheyenne starts to complain a little.
"It hurts," she says, but Pirock tells her to smile for the pretty lady taking her picture.
Before long, Pirock notices it's time for Cheyenne to leave and go back to her Warren home, so she puts the pizza and truck away and lifts the girl back into her wheelchair.
It's the end of another physical session at Children's Rehabilitation Center for Cheyenne, who has cerebral palsy, a disability resulting from damage to the brain before or during birth.
Hundreds of clients
Cheyenne is one of hundreds of clients served by the center on Howland-Wilson Road. In operation since the 1950s, the nonprofit agency provides physical, occupational and speech therapy for children.
The center, which provided services to more than 500 children between the ages of 6 months and 18 years last year, also works with places like Fairhaven and Youngstown's Potential Development Center to help children with cerebral palsy, autism, developmental delay, problems associated with fetal exposure to drugs and alcohol and more.
Therapists work with the children on everything from learning how to improve their speech to improving their gross motor skills, like grasping objects or improving their balance.
Help is needed
The CRC works with most insurance companies to cover costs, but in some cases, outside help is needed. A major portion of that help comes every year from Trumbull County United Way.
"We take kids based on their needs, not based on their ability to pay," said Maureen Kennedy, rehabilitation director.
Last year, United Way provided more than $260,000 -- almost one-sixth of the center's annual budget. CRC also relies on money from Trumbull Lifelines, memberships, public contributions and other fund-raising means.
"We really hope people never need our services," said executive director Bob Foster ... but there are people who do need them, and we really need the money and volunteers from United Way to make it happen."
Kennedy said having the money to help pay sliding-scale fees for families whose insurance doesn't cover the rehabilitation makes a big difference to clients and employees.
"Every day I see little miracles here," she said. "Those simple little things that we take for granted.
"Seeing a child who couldn't walk six months ago come in and be able to walk on their own, even if they need to use a walker.
"Children who learn to feed themselves.
"Children who maybe can't speak, but learn to use aids to communicate. Whole new worlds open up to them."
slshaulis@vindy.com