Nine years ago, one-year-old Tamarrion had his first visit to La Rabida with his then-foster mother, Marcy. He was tiny for his age, legally blind, and diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects movement, muscle development, and balance. Marcy wasn’t sure what Tamarrion’s future would hold, if he would ever be able to play, eat, or communicate with others.
“He couldn’t walk or even sit up on his own,” says Marcy. “He had a feeding tube, which I was learning how to use. I had a lot to face with being his parent.”
Marcy immediately came back to La Rabida – the same hospital that provided care for her daughters with sickle cell disease more than 30 years ago. The moment she walked through the doors, Marcy had a whole team to support whatever she and Tamarrion needed.
His care team included providers from speech and occupational therapy, physical therapy, dietary, neurology, and primary care, all coordinated at La Rabida. Meeting with his pediatrician, Dr. Natasha Bhayani, gave Marcy hope.
“We’re in a very privileged position where we get to be that consistent, present resource in the lives of these families and the people they can go to for support,” says Dr. Bhayani. “It fills my heart to see the impact our care can have on the children and families we serve over the years.”
By the time Tamarrion turned 4, he was making progress. He still had limited mobility, relied on a wheelchair to get around, and didn’t say more than a few words. Olivia H., senior speech-language pathologist, and Megan D., physical therapist, started working with Tamarrion and channeled his spirited personality and curiosity into incredible results.
“When I first met Tamarrion, he was just starting to use his words for the very first time. A lot of it was him singing with Marcy and engaging in back-and-forth vocalizations together,” says Olivia. “Today, he has full conversations and does a great job expressing himself.”
The medical diagnosis is just one part of the patient’s overall journey. La Rabida specialists take the time to help families understand their child’s condition, but the primary focus remains on setting unique goals for each child and finding ways to achieve their own personal milestones.
“When we work with a patient, we identify their strengths, how they learn, and what works for them, and create a treatment plan around that,” says Megan. “Tamarrion shows us when he’s ready to do more, and we do it. He’s in charge!”
Today, Tamarrion is doing exactly what Marcy always hoped for … fully experiencing childhood. He’s walking, playing with friends, and enjoying just being a kid.
This summer, the family met another exciting milestone: his adoption by Marcy was also finalized after nine years of waiting – something the La Rabida care team joined in celebrating.
“He’s doing everything now,” says Marcy, who credits La Rabida with Tamarrion’s progress. “He can shoot a basketball. He plays with cars. He knows how to get on his iPad. All the care came from La Rabida from day one.”
