As a result of being born premature, Zain was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a condition that impacts an individual’s muscle tone, movement, and motor skills and is caused by damage to the brain before or during a child’s birth.

Zain began receiving physical therapy at La Rabida when she was just three years old to help increase her strength and mobility.

“Zain receives excellent care. [The team at La Rabida] ensures she has any equipment, resources, and support that she needs,” shares Jozmin, Zain’s mom. With routine physical therapy appointments, Zain and her mother have developed a special bond with their therapist, Jenny. “Jenny is awesome and the chemistry she has with Zain is mind blowing. I have no doubt in my mind that with Jenny on our team Zain will walk!”

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many appointments have transitioned to telehealth. While many think that telehealth is something only beneficial for primary care appointments, La Rabida has also found success in utilizing the tool for rehab sessions. “We began using telehealth as a medium to teach mom how she can facilitate Zain during standing and walking. During the sessions, mom follows my cues on where to put her hands to give Zain just enough support to improve her ability to stand and walk. We troubleshoot things that are not working and do some trial and error to find what does work,” shares Jenny Analuisa, La Rabida Physical Therapist.

With this support over telehealth, Jozmin was able to help Zain take her very first steps.

“Because Jenny is so patient, observant, and diligent, she has gotten Zain to stand unassisted and encouraged me to work with Zain in a way that resulted in Zain taking her first steps,” shared Jozmin. “I had no idea she would take steps, but she did. I was very happy.”

It’s undeniable that Zain has overcome a number of obstacles. Jozmin decided to use their experience to teach others about cerebral palsy and Zain’s story. “A little boy asked me what was wrong with Zain. I don’t think anything is wrong with her at all. To be honest, she is perfect in my eyes. She may need a little more help than her peers do, but I understand why one may ask that question. I didn’t know how to answer that question in a way that a little boy would understand,” shared Jozmin. “I wrote the book for her peers and for her. I wanted to explain cerebral palsy to small kids.” Jozmin’s book, titled The Million Dollar Baby, features Zain’s journey at La Rabida. The title alludes to the amount of money that doctors said it would take to save Zain's life.

Zain has made tremendous progress over the last several months. With her strong will and determination, Zain will continue making great progress.

“Zain wants to walk and run like Wilma Rudolph and I want that for her. I know she can, and she will,” shared Jozmin.

This story was featured in the June 2020 issue of eCurrents, La Rabida's monthly newsletter. To view the June issue of eCurrents, click here.