Miss Áine Clare

Always seek out the seed of triumph in every adversity. - Og Mandino

Áine Clare was born on January 5, 2001. She is a green-eyed, curly haired redhead with just a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose and her apple cheeks. Áine embodies all that defines perseverance. She is ethereal. People are drawn to her. She is the social butterfly of the clan. She carries the diagnoses of: prenatal stroke, left hemiplegia, post status right hemispherectomy, intractable epilepsy, neurological vision impairment, dysarthria, and cute as a button! Yes, the latter is an "official" diagnosis.

Áine is the music aficionado of the house and enjoys Andrea Bocelli and Coldplay with a whole lot of Elmo and Irish music thrown in for good measure. She loves her bed and when she chooses to sleep, it's the only place she'll sleep. She loves, loves, loves school. In addition to attending a special needs class at our local public school with the most awesome teacher ever, she attends occupational therapy twice a week, physical therapy twice a week, speech therapy twice a week, augmentative communication once a week, and swimming once a week. She also goes to Ability First twice a week and on Saturdays with her big brother.

Áine is a Daddy's girl and is much adored by her big sister. She enjoys hanging out with her brother and the two are quite simpatico. She likes "talking" on the phone and laughing at the word "no".

Áine has had the right hemisphere of her brain removed, two stomach surgeries, and one major leg surgery and she continues to smile. She is a living, breathing miracle on earth.