Posts Tagged ‘child’
Empowering Families, Leading with Purpose… Meet Sheila Klopfenstein
From banker to beloved teacher, Sheila brings passion, purpose, and powerful support to VIPS families across Indiana.
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VIPS Announces Name Change to Better Align with its Mission
Louisville, KY – January 31, 2025 – Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) is proud to celebrate 40 years of serving young children with blindness or low vision and their families. As part of this milestone anniversary, VIPS is announcing a significant update to its acronym, which will now stand for Vision Interventions and Parental Support…
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Brynn’s Story of Independence & Mobility with GoBabyGo
Brynn, a VIPS child, is a bright and joyful little girl who has achieved a new level of mobility and independence thanks to a specially adapted ride-on car provided through the GoBabyGo program. GoBabyGo is a collaboration between Purdue University engineering students and local physical therapists from the Bartholomew School System in Columbus, Indiana. The…
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Caesars Foundation of Floyd County Awards Transformative Grant to Benefit Children
VIPS is incredibly grateful to the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County for the generous grant of $10,000 to support critical early intervention services for infants and toddlers who are blind or have low vision, as well as their families, in Floyd County, Indiana. The partnership between VIPS and the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County is…
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Leading the Way for Best Practices
By Kathy Mullen, VIPS Director of Education The VIPS community was well-represented at the 2024 AER Biennial International Conference this year. Five team members traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina in late July to share news on the exciting things happening within the VIPS community and to learn from our amazing collaborators from across the country…
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“Little Medical Miracle”
Written by Natalie, mother to VIPS child Gatlin Meet Gatlin, our little Medical Miracle. At just 2 years old, Gatlin faces immense challenges, including Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy and Severe Vision Impairment. Despite his non-mobile and non-verbal state, he finds joy in life. After a healthy pregnancy, his birth required emergency surgery, leading to a roller-coaster…
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Resilience and Love Amidst Daunting Medical Challenges
VIPS mother, Kacey, bravely shares the emotional journey of their son in her article, The Incredible Story of Sonny Jules. The journey began in August of 2021 with much uncertainty as their son, Sonny, was diagnosed in utero with a congenital brain malformation called Dandy-Walker syndrome—a form of Hydrocephalus. Sonny’s birth marked the start of…
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“We are so grateful to be a VIPS family”
Driving home from the ophthalmologist’s office, Victoria and Josiah’s concerns were confirmed— their baby boy Lucas has Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) and Strabismus. At the time, Lucas was not able to track his toys, watch his older brother dance, or see his parent’s faces. His family felt defeated.
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“There is no obstacle we can’t overcome”
Written by VIPS parents, Brooke & Luke— “Our Brynnie girl is a Mono-Di twin—two sacs, and one placenta that our girls shared. Her twin sister’s name is Blake. My pregnancy was incredibly high-risk, and we had no idea how tough of a road we would have. To make a very long story short, I was…
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The Debut of Summer Short Course at VIPS Kids Town Preschool
By: Staci Maynard, VIPS Teacher of the Visually Impaired This summer, VIPS held its first summer short courses in Louisville. Familiesfrom across the state were invited to bring their child with a diagnosed visual impairmentto VIPS Kids Town Preschool for a three day session of activities, assessment, andobservations themed around favorite aspects of summer. The…
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