United Cerebral Palsy Camp Gets Recognition

Earlier this year, the ABC television program "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" built a new home for Stephen and Lydia Gaudet and their six children. The Gaudets' nine-year-old son Peter has been attending a United Cerebral Palsy of Mobile, Alabama facility, Camp SMILE, since he was four years old. The Camp received a great deal of media attention and donations after its inclusion in the "Extreme Makeover" episode about the Gaudets.

United Cerebral Palsy's Services

Stephen and Lydia Gaudet are very active volunteers, helping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and with the local Easter Seals organization. UCP-Mobile first starting seeing Peter, who has Down Syndrome, when he was one month old. They provided several services and resources to the Gaudets, including an assessment of Peter's abilities. Following in-home enhancement programs through the UCP, Peter was enrolled in the United Cerebral Palsy preschool program, which the Gaudets found to be a great starting point for Peter's development.

Camp SMILE in Mobile, Alabama

Camp SMILE is a summer camp for children and adults with disabilities such as Down Syndrome and cerebral palsy. Peter started attending Camp Smile for a week at a time, enjoying the one-on-one ratio of counselor-to-camper and therapeutic activities for children with cerebral palsy such as:

horseback riding
yoga
swimming
arts and crafts
kickball, tee-ball, and other outdoor games

In addition, Peter's 20-year-old brother Chris Gaudet became a Camp SMILE counselor and a troubleshooter for the computers and electronics onsite. As part of the "Extreme Makeover" gifts to the Gaudets, CVS Pharmacies donated $50,000 to the family for Peter's needs and another $100,000 to UCP of Mobile that will be used at Camp SMILE.

(Source: United Cerebral Palsy)

If your child has cerebral palsy or another medical condition that may be due to a birth injury, contact a cerebral palsy attorney in your area for legal advice.