Jamaica
Children with Disabilities
Joy is a fun-loving resident at Gift of Hope in Mandeville, Jamaica. Since joining the Mustard Seed Community in 2013, she has been determined to never let her challenges with microcephalus and cerebral palsy prevent her from being a playful social butterfly.
“Joy is a joy to the world!”
When it comes to Joy’s favorite things, toys, play time, and meals are certainly high on her list. Though she had limited motor control when she arrived at Gift of Hope, today Joy loves to use her strong grip on rattle toys and stuffed animals. Water play gives her the opportunity to leave her wheelchair and cool down with her friends. She finds lots of creative ways to participate in games from her wheelchair – recently, Joy joined in a game of jump rope with Jamoly and laughed as Kimoya bounced up and down. Additionally, at meal times, she has made immense progress on her oral motor and self-feeding skills. Joy is known for her great appreciation for good food!
As she loves to smile and have a good laugh, Joy’s caregivers sometimes refer to her as “Joy to the world.” She discovers joy in the simple things, and Gift of Hope is blessed to have her in the community.