Recipient Stories

On April 25, 2022, Arabella was born a happy, healthy baby girl—or so they thought. Everything seemed perfect: her Apgar scores were strong, she was nursing well, and she seemed like any other newborn. But just nine hours later, her parent's world turned upside down. Arabella was rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital, immediately placed on a ventilator, and underwent a whirlwind of testing, including an urgent MRI. Brain surgery was even considered.

Doctors discovered that Arabella had suffered multiple strokes in utero, leaving her brain covered in damage. She experienced continuous “ping-pong” seizures for three days after birth and required three seizure medications to stop them. She remained on life support for seven days. Thankfully, she has been seizure-free since that critical period.

The strokes left Arabella with cortical blindness, though she gained some light perception in her right peripheral vision. Her vision is permanent, with no hope of gaining further sight.

In addition to vision loss, Arabella was diagnosed with Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy at seven months, Microcephaly at one year, Global Developmental Delays, and Hypertonia. Spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy is the most severe form, impacting mobility, feeding, and speech.

Early on, Arabella couldn’t extend her arms or support her legs, and doctors initially recommended wheelchairs and extensive mobility equipment. Through relentless therapy—three to four times per week—and holistic care since she was five weeks old, Arabella has made remarkable progress. She sat unassisted at 17 months, rolled over at 18 months, and mastered crawling by 23 months. Her development is like that of a 10-month-old, but her medical team is amazed by her progress, calling her a potential member of the rare 10% of children with her condition who may one day walk.

Arabella will use a wheelchair for long distances, but she is already trying to walk in her gait trainer with minimal support. She attends NAPA, 3 week intensive treatment programs based in Waltham, Massachusetts which has helped her improve mobility, fine motor skills, and feeding. While she currently receives all meals in liquid form, her family hopes that future sessions at NAPA will help her learn to eat solid food and continue developing her walking and verbal skills.

Arabella’s journey is truly a testament to perseverance, hope, and the power of dedicated care. Through Benefit Others Foundation, her family has been given the resources, support, and encouragement to provide Arabella the best possible life.