Meet Wynter!

Meet Wynter! This amazing little human is a ray of sunshine, and she loves to make other people smile! She has been accomplishing incredible milestones as of recently, including learning how to grip toys! To learn more about Wynter's love for songs, what her family's mission as an advocate for their daughter is, and more, read the interview conducted with Wynter's parents down below.

1. Hello! To start off our interview today, can you tell me a little bit about Wynter and her journey with OFD14? 
Wynter is 20 months old, and she was born at 37 weeks via C-section. However, what we thought would be an average c-section turned into something we would have never imagined. She got her trach (a tube which helps with breathing) & gtube (a tube which helps with feeing, hydration, and medication) at 2 weeks old, and she was diagnosed with epilepsy, charge syndrome, OFD14, chronic lung disease, and coronary heart disease while at the hospital. Once Wynter was released from the hospital, she received a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, global developmental delay, legal blindness, and kidney reflux. However, Wynter is perfectly imperfect, and her rarity makes her unique and beautiful! Although she has many specialists and therapists, her smile never leaves her face and she shows growth in the smallest of ways. Her journey has most definitely been a learning experience for us all, but we just take it one step at a time :)

2. What does Wynter love to do? What is her personality like?
Wynter loves to make people laugh and if you laugh, she tries to do whatever it was again. She is always so happy and can make anyone, even strangers smile! She loves to be held by other people as well, and she can always be found listening to songs and hearing others read books.

3. What would surprise people the most about Wynter?
Whenever anyone hears about Wynter's needs, they always assume that she was a premature baby in the level 4 NICU. They are always surprised to learn that she is not!

4. What are some of Wynter's best strengths?
Wynter's best strengths are her persistence and personality. Even though she cannot verbally let us know how she is feeling, her emotions and character shine through. She has overcome so many challenges, and proves to everyone that comes her way that she deserves to be treated like the absolutely AMAZING person she is! 

5. What is a recent accomplishment/milestone of Wynter? 
She recently learned how to grip toys and use them properly, which has been a huge thing we have been working on! 

6. What are some of your favorite resources as a parent?
Lily’s list: An AMAZING resource which works with pediatric patients that have a need for home health nursing. 

Joseph’s Genetic journey: Provides free Gtube pads and belts for any child who needs it!

Merediths’s miracles: Specializes in helping families financially during medical emergencies. 

I highly recommend these amazing initiatives to other special families!

7. What is your mission as you advocate for Wynter?
My mission is to advocate for inclusion and answer any questions anyone may have about our journey because I strongly believe education leads to awareness! Although Wynter may have her differences, she deserves the chance to find belonging amongst everyone. I hope to share our journey so others can not only learn more about Wynter, but also be inspired to make their own communities kinder and more inclusive.