Today’s post features a young high-school graduate who just made a huge decision!

She shared her story with me–to share with you! She hopes to inspire others who face physical, mental and emotional challenges to never give up. She wrote this brief synopsis and asked me to share it.

In occupational therapy, we’re always looking for ways to empower people with special challenges toward their maximum potential. So much of what makes or breaks a person is their level of determination. As you may notice in her story below, Samantha’s got plenty of that!

     Hi my name is Samantha. I write to help raise awareness for special needs. I was born five weeks early, with  brain  damage.
     At a little over a year of age, my parents learned I had Cerebral Palsy. At the age of four, I had a seizure. That day, our lives changed  forever. The doctor told my parents my life would not be be like others.
     After learning I also have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, my will to fight only grew stronger.
     I have a big dreams to write  a book! They said I couldn’t finish—that I couldn’t overcome. I am now almost 23. I beat the odds and finished  high school. Since a journey starts with your first step, mine is going back to school! I am going back to school to  become an inspirational speaker and writer. My dream is to raise awareness for special needs. I want to write, and  use my story to encourage, and inspire others to face their fears and live their dreams—as I am, and will  keep doing for the rest of my life.
                    –Samantha Brown
Let’s give a big shout out for Samantha! We wish her the very best.
Feel free to share this page and comment as we encourage each other to be determined to achieve our very best!