Your Dollars in Action

Lilliann - St. Petersburg, FL

Three-year-old Lilliann is like any other young girl in St. Petersburg, Florida. She loves playing house with her twin sister Riley and their baby dolls, and during the summer, she enjoys taking a dip in the pool for her swim lessons. However, unlike other children, over the past two years Lilliann and her family have worked together to overcome her cerebral palsy.

Born ten weeks early, Lilliann suffered from a Level 3 brain bleed that led to a later diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Diagnosed when she was 1 years old, Lilliann was faced with many challenges due to the stiffness in her arms and legs.

While working with Florida’s Early Steps Infants program, Lilliann’s mother, Amber, found out about the UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation.

"It was incredibly stressful wondering how the medical bills would be paid" says Amber. "When the letter came in the mail saying we got the grant, I could feel the tension melt away from my shoulders, it was so relieving!”

With the help of a UHCCF grant, the family could now afford Lilliann’s surgeries and physical therapy, which have made great differences. With her most recent surgery, Lilliann can now walk around with the help of a walker, and is all over the house!

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