About Kate

Kate's Progress

Despite her incredible challenges, our Kate is a fun-loving, happy little girl.  She works very hard to do tasks we take for granted, and we are exceptionally proud of her.  With great determination, a lot of love and nearly 30 hours a week of focused therapy, Kate has been able to learn many skills.  Her physical therapy and hippotherapy (horseback riding) have strengthened her legs and mid-section.  With leg braces, Kate can slowly walk across a room without holding onto anything.  She is able to make choices with eye pointing or reaching, and she uses special switch devices to play with her toys.  Kate also uses a computer, called a Tobii, which tracks her eye movements and allows her to select items onscreen with just her eyes.  She cannot use words, but she speaks volumes with her engaging eyes and bright smiles.

Kate loves to go outside, particularly on windy days and during rainstorms.  She loves swimming, swinging, bouncing, and listening to her favorite songs.  Recently, music from 'The Lion King' and 'Jungle Book' movies have begun to dominate her listening time. She likes Dora the Explorer videos in particular and eating pizza around a large table of family and friends.

We marvel at Kate’s persistence and are inspired by her emerging skills.  Rett syndrome has cruelly taken away some of her abilities for now, and she cannot wait decades for research to progress.  Private funding and support is essential to hasten the progress of this critical science.  We believe the exceptional network of Rett syndrome families and dedicated scientists, working together, will make Rett syndrome the first reversible brain disorder.  Pre-clinical trials have shown it is possible.

Kate's Diagnosis

Read about Kate's diagnosis by clicking here.