Meet Ariel, one of St. Mary’s Kids. Ariel began attending St. Mary’s Pediatric Day Healthcare Program (PDHC) in 2009 at the age of 9 to receive physical and occupational therapy for Cerebral Palsy. Ariel has made tremendous progress and now at age 17, she is working to transition from a wheelchair to a walker.
While attending St. Mary’s, Ariel has also been successfully working her way through middle school and high school. The dedicated staff at St. Mary’s helped her with understanding and filling out several applications for college.
We are proud to announce that Ariel graduated from High School in June! Thanks to her hard work, determination and the help of the St. Mary’s staff, Ariel was accepted to Queensborough Community College and will start as a full-time student in the fall with a major in Art and Design.
“I am thankful to the staff at St. Mary’s for helping me become the person I am today,” said Ariel. “I am very nervous and excited to start my classes at Queensborough and I am happy that I am able to still attend St. Mary’s.” Ariel will continue to receive care at St. Mary’s through our Young Adult program, which will provide services to help her reach her walking goals.
“The PDHC Program is beyond proud of Ariel and all her accomplishments,” said Jillian Quinn, manager of PDHC. “She is a hardworking, caring and tough individual. She works hard and keeps a positive attitude about everything life throws her way.”
Ariel is one of many young people whose lives have been changed by the Pediatric Day Healthcare Program at St. Mary’s. The program provides high-quality physical, occupational and speech therapy and nursing services to children and young adults living with a wide range of disabilities and illnesses.
Join us in congratulating Ariel on her outstanding accomplishment!!
