Transformed Families

Photo: A Cross Care Team visits Shiyu and his family in their home.

Our team had the pleasure of meeting Shiyu, a young man with Cerebral Palsy, back in October 2008. Shiyu and his family were among the first families to join our Family Partners Program. Our Cross Care Team carefully evaluated Shiyu and crafted an individualized program for him and his family. For over a decade, we have walked with this wonderful young man and his family through the challenges and triumphs they have faced.

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A strong, brave woman, Shiyu’s mother is a single parent, solely responsible for the care of Shiyu and his sister. When Shiyu was seven years old, determined to provide him with the best education possible, his mother made the difficult decision to send him to a public school. His school teacher made an unexpected request: that Shiyu’s mother accompany him to study. Since then, she has become Shiyu’s table mate and helped her son through the ups and downs of his schooling.

Shiyu’s mother has found an incredible support network through attending FPP’s social activities. They are familiar faces at the annual Summer Camp, parent support group and Walk the Wall. Through these events, they have been able to interact with families in similar situations, and join a vibrant, loving community.

Shiyu’s mother has also participated in parental training classes organized by our international volunteers. These group meet-ups have offered valuable tools and advice, and continually helped Shiyu’s mother learn more about raising her young son.

Shiyu holds a special place in his classmate’s hearts. He has a talent for creative writing and has won awards in national competitions, including “Variety Rubik’s Cube” National Primary and Secondary School Students Composition, and the “Creation Cup” National Youth and Children Composition Competition. His classmates eagerly await installations of his novel series, which is modeled from “Notes on Tomb Raiders.”

“Today, Shiyu’s cognitive abilities are no different from his peers,” commented our FPP staff. Shiyu’s mother has requested that they continue to attend classes with FPP, and our teachers are partnering with them to craft a customized curriculum.

FPP has witnessed the remarkable transformation Shiyu has undergone over the last decade, and we are honored to be able to continue to provide support for him and his family. We are grateful to have partners like you for bringing hope and opportunity to wonderful families like his.

We invite you to partner with us to serve more families like Shiyu’s.