Lara's Story

Lara’s a lovebug. Always was, always will be. She was our first born and was special from the start because she had Cornelia de Lange syndrome. She has been lovingly sustained over these 30 years by us, her two sisters, but also by my aunt, Evelyn Mathis, known by all as “Auntie Evelyn”.

Since we cannot be there forever, we decided we needed another way to help support her into the future. PALS Inc. is the answer. It forced us to face the future, it made us review her person centered plan generated when she transitioned from 766.  It made us think about what it was that we really wanted for her in the future and how we would go about making those dreams become real. It made us realize that service agencies provide the staff, A PALS Inc. network provides the friends.

Now, Lara is on the cusp of starting the next phase of her life, living with some old friends in the area. We have been working on her support network for a year and we have a group of old and new friends to help her transition from home. During this phase, they will be asked what they might like to do with Lara. Whatever they chose to do will be self-sustaining, with the occasional oversight of a Facilitator hired by PALS Inc. Usually, when a transition takes place, it is the family and service vendor that is responsible for making it smooth. Now, we welcome the hearts and hands of our new network as we approach this difficult, but long awaited task.

Written by Lara’s mom, Judi Kotanchik