Chase with his Physical Therapy Team (l-r) Mary Guider, Rachel Polito and Shannon Van Heck.
Many take it for granted. Others may call it the silliness of a fourth grader. We call it… a success story, and it’s what happens at Mary Cariola Center. If you’re in a Mary Cariola hallway with a camera and run into an energetic 10-year-old named Chase, he’s more than likely to shout out with joy: “Walk backwards!” Why? Because Chase is inviting you to turn around and witness something extraordinary—his ability to walk independently, one of the most exciting accomplishments of his young life.
Chase has always been motivated by movement. As a preschooler, he rolled everywhere to retrieve his favorite toys. A talented team of Mary Cariola physical therapists tapped into his drive and, over the past five years, introduced standers, gait trainers, walkers, bikes, and physical exercise to strengthen his hips and legs. The hard work paid off. At the beginning of the school year, Chase could walk forty feet independently; today, he walks around the entire Elmwood Campus without assistance.
For students like Chase, every step is a hard one. It takes time, patience, therapy, and the unwavering belief that, with the right support, milestones once thought impossible can become reality. At Mary Cariola Center, we celebrate these moments—big and small—every single day. But we can’t do it alone.
It is donors like you who inspire us every day. Because of your past support, children with complex disabilities like Chase receive the therapy, education, and encouragement they need to thrive. It fuels life-changing progress in mobility, communication, emotional connection, and learning.
Thanks to your generosity, lives are being changed, and our work continues to thrive.
Will you help more of our students and residents take their next step, speak their first word, grasp a spoon, or attend a baseball game for the first time?
A gift today can:
• Fund adaptive equipment and physical therapy tools
• Support specialized education tailored to individual needs
• Ensure families have a network of support and hope
• Provide residents with meaningful community activities
Donate now and be part of more moments like Chase’s—moments filled with laughter, pride, and unshakable determination. Because when a child shouts, “Walk backwards!” with joy, they’re not showing off...
They’re showing the world what’s possible.
