YMCA Inspiration and Impact Report - 2019
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Teaching<br />
ACCEPTANCE<br />
Paisley Minor is a<br />
two-year-old who<br />
was born with a rare<br />
condition called tibial<br />
hemimelia, which<br />
caused her to have<br />
both legs amputated<br />
in February.<br />
Paisley joined the toddler class at the Br<strong>and</strong>ywine<br />
<strong>YMCA</strong> <strong>and</strong> was quickly accepted. “The teachers<br />
learned about Paisley’s disability <strong>and</strong> integrated<br />
her, as well as helped the other toddlers learn<br />
about <strong>and</strong> accept Paisley’s uniqueness,” shares<br />
her mother Paige, a Major in the U.S. Marines.<br />
“Paisley does not feel like she is different,” Paige<br />
continues, “<strong>and</strong>, in five months, she was taking<br />
some steps on her own!”<br />
Paisley is a joyful child, making friends with staff<br />
at the front desk <strong>and</strong> members who share the<br />
therapy pool with her, but her greatest gift to the<br />
Y may be helping others become more accepting<br />
of people of ALL abilities, which she is doing just<br />
from her presence.<br />
As Paige sees how accepting the Br<strong>and</strong>ywine<br />
<strong>YMCA</strong> community is of Paisley, she notes that it<br />
is “time to teach people! Acceptance of people<br />
<strong>and</strong> their differences is what the world needs<br />
right now.”<br />
Paisley<br />
Minor<br />
WATCH<br />
THE VIDEO!
Change language