Charlee is a spirited three-year-old whose bright eyes light up a room. She loves being around people, playing with toys and going for walks in her adaptive stroller.
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n It wasn’t until a week before she was born that her parents learned something wasn’t right. Charlee spent the first 48 days in the NICU where doctors struggled to pinpoint what she needed. There were concerns about so many things including her brain, heart, spine and bones. It was determined early on that she had hydrocephalus, excess fluid that creates pressure on the brain. It was also noticed that she has a condition called hypotonia, which affects the muscles.
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n When doctors released her to go home, she ended up back in the hospital less than 24 hours later with a collapsed lung. She was in the hospital for another two weeks. Charlee cannot walk or talk and must be tube fed to receive all her nutrition. She needs constant care along with supporting therapies to help her gain new skills.
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n Charlee had her first brain surgery when she was only a year old, followed by a second 10 days later to place a shunt in her brain to relieve pressure. At the age of two she had her spinal cord detethered and a laminectomy, two spinal surgeries that help protect her development.

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Despite all of this, Charlee will make you smile. She loves books, toys that light up and waving ‘hi’ to people.
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n Charlee will be adopted as a Sparrow to Davis Elementary. Students will work hard to not only love and support her but raise money for Charlee through sponsored community service for ongoing treatments, special equipment and therapy needs.