Born in India, Divya was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a condition which affects her strength, coordination and mobility. Because she lived for the first years of her life in a children’s home, Divya didn’t receive early intervention or therapies at a young age. She was adopted by her mom, a Michigan native who was living in India at the time, when she was almost five years old. 

When Divya and her mom moved to West Michigan in 2020, her mom began the process of determining which local therapies would work best for Divya. She quickly discovered that West Michigan offers many incredible and cutting-edge interventions. However, many of them are not covered by insurance, making them cost prohibitive, especially for a single parent family like theirs. 

The family turned to Family Hope Foundation for assistance. Divya was awarded a scholarship to cover her sessions with Rene’ Manker, a renown practitioner of the Anat Baniel Method. This approach holistically addresses Divya’s sensory and motor systems and guides her brain in discovering new ways to move her body, leading to more results than she gained from traditional therapy.

Since working with Rene’, Divya’s movements have gotten smoother and more controlled, and she is more comfortable in her body. She is walking with her walker and canes better than ever and has gained new self-care skill. She has even started to swim independently!  Divya is empowered as she unlocks her potential and works toward goals that are meaningful to her.

This is what Divya has to say about working with Rene: “I like to work with Rene’ because she is a good teacher and is very kind. I like the movements she teaches me because it makes my body feel happy.”

Divya and her mom are thankful to have found Rene’ and are so grateful for Family Hope Foundation’s crucial role in making it possible for them to afford this amazing intervention.