When Allie Chapman, daughter of Gabrielle Wilhelm and Chris Chapman, was just 4-years-old, she was diagnosed with autism. At the time, she was nonverbal, was not potty-trained, and had such bad sensory issues that she could not even brush her teeth. She didn’t even want to interact with her siblings or play with toys like most children that age do. Now, at the age of 7, so much has changed for Allie. She has grown so much in the past two years since she started receiving services from Sunnyhill, a non-profit organization that provides services, programs, and opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Allie’s mom says, “Allie is a completely different child. ”
With the help of Sunnyhill and her family, Allie is now able to do things like brush her teeth and make decisions on her own. She has started to talk, read simple books, and interact with her siblings, which makes them very excited. Allie is also learning to count and is potty trained now. She is very proud of herself, and so is her family. They know they are lucky to have such a smart girl like Allie in the family. She makes things whole. Her mom says, “We have hope for her for the future that she will continue to grow. That’s our ultimate goal-give her the best life possible.