Ava’s Story

In 2011, life changed forever for Ava, then eight years old, when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After surgery to remove the tumor, Ava contracted a life-threatening spinal meningitis infection and suffered 13 strokes. She could blink, and she could breathe, but that was it.

For the last 10 years, Ava has fought back from that low point. After being discharged from an acute care hospital, she underwent intensive outpatient rehabilitation and therapy at MWPH, gaining ground a little at a time. She graduated from a wheelchair to a walker, gaining mobility and endurance. 

In 2016, Ava participated in Abilities Adventures, for a week-long, MWPH-sponsored group trip to Utah. “That trip was huge for her,” Ava’s mom, Anne, remembered. “The experiences she has had over the years at MWPH have given her the self-confidence to know she can do what everyone else is doing.”

Ava met one major goal by graduating from high school, and in 2021, she reached another major milestone by going away to college. She is now a student at the University of South Carolina, part of the Carolina Life program for students with intellectual disabilities. Today, she can be found studying business, attending a football game, or getting around campus on her scooter. “She is realizing her dream of living independently,” Anne said.