This is year 9!  When I first became a BellRunner in 2014, I had no idea how it would change me and my running.  The challenges...they do change you.  It came full circle when my best friend's son began attending The Bell Center.  He is in his third and final year now.  So, to celebrate all that he has accomplished, help me reach this goal in his honor.  Our relay team has committed to raising $100/mile ($2,620), but I have set my individual goal at $1,000.  Every donation helps!  

Theo began receiving services from the Bell Center in September of 2019. He was born 6 months earlier and spent a few weeks in the NICU where he was closely monitored due to an AV Canal Defect, which is a type of congenital heart defect. Around half of babies who have Down syndrome are born with a heart defect, including Theo. At 5 months old, Theo underwent an open heart surgery that led to a successful repair and a now healthy boy ready to start growing and thriving. Within a month of receiving services at The Bell Center, Theo rolled over for the first time. He continued to achieve other big milestones with the help and support of his family and dedicated therapists at the bell center. Today Theo is enjoying life like any other 2 year old. He has mastered walking and is learning how to talk. He loves books, music, dancing, bubbles, and bathtime. He goes to the bell center twice a week, where he continues to receive physical, speech, and occupational therapy. Theo loves seeing his friends and therapists at The Bell Center and continues to grow and develop with their support and guidance.

The Bell Center is dedicated to maximizing the potential of children from birth to three years of age who are at risk for developmental delay. The staff of The Bell Center begins the work of maximizing a child's potential as soon as the child is evaluated. This evaluation assesses a child's strengths and weaknesses across five developmental domains: gross motor, fine motor, expressive and receptive language, cognition, and emotional/social. From this assessment, each member of the child's transdisciplinary team develops goals in each area specific to that child. The Bell Center follows a transdisciplinary approach to providing early intervention services. This allows all areas of the child's development to be targeted every time they are at The Bell Center. Through this frequent targeting of developmental goals comes success as goals are achieved. As one goal is mastered, the next appropriate goal is targeted, ensuring that the child is always striving to maximize their potential.