Easter Seals 2006 National Youth Representative
Easter Seals DuPage, Illinois

It's rare to see Matt Gaughan without a smile. Even when Matt was in kindergarten, struggling each day to catch up to his classmates, his teacher's say they remember his huge smile.

Today, at age 12, Matt's smile seems a little brighter. As an almost-teenager who excels in school and loves playing football, baseball and golf, he doesn't worry about keeping up with his friends.

Matt was born prematurely at 30 weeks, a birth complicated by his mother's diabetes. After spending 10 weeks in intensive care, doctors optimistically sent him home, a seemingly healthy baby boy.

Several months later, his parents, Noreen and Paul, noticed that Matt wasn't developing as his older brother, Ryan now 16, had as an infant, especially with regard to his movement. His parents approached their pediatrician and received a tough diagnosis: irreparable brain damage. His mom says it was a response they found hard to believe and refused to accept.

Stunned and scared, the Gaughan's were determined to find answers. When Matt was 10-months-old, Noreen and Paul - with their big, supportive Irish family in tow - brought Matt to Easter Seals DuPage in Villa Park, Illinois, for his first evaluation. They quickly learned that with the right therapy, Matt could have every opportunity to grow up a healthy, active and happy child. The rest is truly remarkable.

Matt has a form of cerebral palsy known as spastic diplegia, primarily affecting his lower extremities and fine motor skills, like writing. Working with Jim Alviti, his physical therapist for 11 years, Matt has made great strides in improving the quality of his movement. While his gait remains slightly involved, Matt is able to walk independently and no longer requires braces.

"Most people with disabilities go through a period where they ask: 'Why me?' It's a sign of Matt's maturity, that he's already worked through that at such a young age," says Alviti. "He's confident about who he is and is determined to minimize the impact his disability has on living a full life."

Recently, Matt completed three rounds of Easter Seals DuPage's innovative, intensive therapy program, SuitAbility, making it possible for him to better maintain his posture and balance while he's moving. The cutting-edge therapy worked to strengthen Matt's muscles, in part, by using a modified Russian spacesuit originally used to minimize the physical effects of weightlessness.

"He's a dream to work with - you don't see many kids like Matt," adds Alviti. "But when it comes down to it, his two greatest assets are his personality and his family." Matt's teachers add that his intelligence and humor are balanced by his tenacity and stubbornness.

Now, through weekly physical and occupational therapy, Matt's challenge is to sustain the improved strength and mobility he's worked so hard to gain. Then, as he grows up, gets bigger, and tackles new activities, he'll continue to succeed.