Whether she’s swimming laps, playing midfield on her soccer team, or whipping up her latest culinary creation in the kitchen, she’s chasing life with both determination and joy.
Gracie was diagnosed with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy when she was 19 months old. Her early years were filled with balance struggles, fatigue and slow walking. “She’d tire out so quickly,” her mom, Sara, said. “I’d find her curled up in bed taking naps just to reenergize so she could keep up with her twin sister.”
As a young child, Gracie had difficulty with balance and coordination, making it tough for her to run, kick a ball or even swing like other kids. She was receiving care elsewhere, but her parents were not satisfied. “Someone suggested Shriners Children’s,” Sara said, “and it was the best decision we ever made.”
This April marks Gracie’s eighth year as a patient at Shriners Children’s Texas. She’s received wrap-around care at the hospital, including physical therapy, serial castings and orthotics made by the Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetic Services (POPS) team. Sara and Gracie speak highly of her pediatric orthopedic surgeon Cody Sanderson, M.D. “The staff at Shriners Children’s Texas truly have the child’s best interest at heart.” Sara said.
One of the biggest turning points in Gracie’s journey came at age 6, when she underwent a procedure called selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) to help reduce spasticity in her lower limbs. Shriners Children’s Texas staff coordinated with pediatric neurosurgeon Manish Shah, M.D., from UTHealth Houston. “He snipped the nerves that were causing the spasticity,” Sara said. The result was a dramatic improvement in her mobility and in her daily life.
After SDR surgery, Gracie worked hard to regain strength and improve mobility. At Shriners Children’s Texas, her physical therapy included riding a bike through the hospital halls, climbing in and out of a bathtub to build independence, and hopping over obstacles like makeshift parking curbs designed to mimic real-world challenges. “She’s an absolute go-getter,” said Sara. “If something’s in her way, she’ll move it or climb over it.”
The staff at Shriners Children’s Texas truly have the child’s best interest at heart.
Today, Gracie has continued to thrive. She plays soccer and enjoys swimming, mastering three of the four strokes thanks to the dedication of her coach. Her attitude has always been fueled by perseverance, and maybe just a bit of Miley Cyrus. “There’s a song called The Climb, and it’s our little theme song,” Sara said. “She doesn’t take no for an answer. She makes it happen.”
Gracie was originally a patient at the Shriners Children's Houston location but moved her care to Galveston when the hospitals combined in 2021. “But it ended up not being bad,” Sara said. “We still received the same high-quality care we always had.”
Gracie now wears nighttime braces and custom shoe inserts made by the POPS team at Shriners Children’s Texas, whom she describes as “super friendly.” She returns to the hospital for yearly checkups, including hip and pelvic X-rays and spine monitoring for scoliosis, a common condition in children with cerebral palsy.
Despite the hurdles she’s faced, Gracie lives with purpose and ambition. She wants to become a veterinarian one day. She loves Carrie Underwood and shares her home with her beloved husky, Jake. Recently, she was able to spend some time at an event collaboration with Shriners Children’s Texas and Clear Creek Independent School District (CCISD). “I made strawberry pop tarts,” Gracie said. “It was awesome.”
Sara said watching her daughter conquer both big and small milestones brings reassurance. “I know she’ll be able to live on her own, drive a car and hold down a regular job. It’s just truly amazing to watch her grow into herself.”
And Gracie? She wouldn’t change a thing. “I would do it all again,” she said.
Sara agreed without hesitation. “It’s absolutely worth it. Shriners Children’s will do whatever they can to give your child the most normal and fulfilling life possible.”
