Nikki

Oh sweet little Nikki! She is 10 years old and has cerebral palsy. She is so sweet and beautiful and smart.

Nikki attends school at the orphanage. She receives daily therapy. She likes school and has a lot of friends. She is outgoing and friendly. When we met her in April she answered many of our questions herself rather than letting her caregiver answer. She said she likes to draw and her favorite game is "dropping handkerchief", she also informed us that she doesn't like meat.

She is independent in her self-care and can walk without assistance. She follows two step commands, counts, and can read simple Mandarin characters. She speaks appropriately for her age, though she is a little hard to understand. She was eager to do any activities we gave her to do when we met her. She also was really good at imitating English words!

This little girl has a special light, if you would see her smile you would understand what I mean! Could little Nikki be your daughter? Please contact April Uduhiri at april.uduhiri@gladney.org for more information.

Davis {Taiwan}

Amazing Davis is one of the older boys we met while on the latest Superkids trip to Taiwan. What a precious young one he is! He is 9 years old and sweet, so smart and has no medical concerns.

With only a short time to capture who Davis is we saw his sweet spirit. He has a close friendship with one of his fellow housemates. This connection showed as they talked about the Legos and meeting the Superkid team. So polite and grateful for the Lego kit and snacks. All while showing off how smart he was as Keely tested him with her flip chart test.

Davis has a great pearly smile with the straightest teeth, the most adorable wire framed blue glasses that still let his warm brown eyes shine through, and the dearest fluff dark head of hair. This precious boy is the so sweet!

Davis is in search of his forever family. He is looking for a family to call his own, a place to call home and maybe even a sibling. Could amazing Davis be your son? Could you be his forever family? For more information on Davis, please contact Mary Chapman at mary.chapman@gladney.org. 

Living With Hepatitis B

The following was written by a Gladney adoptive mom. Her insight is so valuable! Many kids with hepatitis B, including Dexter, are waiting for families! Would you be open to this special need?

I recently found out from Gladney that some potential adoptive parents are hesitant to pursue adopting children who have hepatitis B.  As someone who has chronic hepatitis B (HBV), I wanted to send a clear message to those parents: do not let the presence of hepatitis B, even chronic hepatitis B, prevent you from adopting an otherwise healthy, loving, and ready child.

Here’s my story.  For over 20 years, I never knew I carried the surface antigen for hepatitis B (HBsAg), nor that I had, and still have, chronic hepatitis B (HBV).  But to be honest, once I found out, not much changed in my life.  I continued to eat, sleep, drink, and exercise as I always did. Since I discovered my condition, I have rarely thought about it, and it has never affected my overall health. 

In my research on hepatitis B, I found that 1 in 12 Asian Americans is affected by hepatitis B. In China and Taiwan, it is an endemic problem with over one-third of the world's 240 million infected living in that region. And many that have it have no idea that they're infected, leading to the high mortality rates of those with hepatitis B.

But for those of us who are aware of our situation, and who get regular medical care, hepatitis B is a very manageable condition. I do, of course, monitor my health.  I have a hepatologist, whom I visit annually for an exam, ultrasound, and bloodwork. (When I reach 50 years old, I will have an ultrasound every 6 months.) So far, my virus load has been so low that there has been no impact to my liver. With consistent continuous monitoring, I will be able to detect any liver damage or disease early enough to successfully treat it.

And I'm careful about transmission to others. I cannot donate blood. I always practice safe sex. And my husband was vaccinated. When I had my daughter a few years ago, we made sure she was vaccinated shortly after birth so she wouldn't even have these concerns.

So I know that hepatitis B is very manageable.  Indeed, I’m not the only one in my family managing the condition. My sister is similarly affected. We believe the antigen was passed from our mother at birth.  She has had the same experience I have had.  

When I spoke with Gladney about a potential adoption and realized that hepatitis B was preventing some children from being adopted, I was truly shocked. Yes, there is a potential impact to the liver. However, with regular screening, that impact to the liver can be minimal and managed. In fact, the management of hepatitis B is probably less cumbersome than high blood pressure or diabetes, since there are no dietary concerns and daily monitoring is not necessary. 

So please, do not let the presence of hepatitis B, even chronic hepatitis B, prevent you from adopting an otherwise healthy, loving, and ready child.

Rylan Has A Grant!

We are so pleased to announce that Rylan now has a $4,500 grant through Gladney! 

Rylan is an 11 year old boy who is deaf. He is very intelligent and communicates well through writing. He has a cochlear implant and is receiving therapy for speech.

You can read more about Rylan here! Please share his post to find his family! Contact April Uduhiri at april.uduhiri@gladney.org for more information.

Lorelei

Lorelei is so beautiful! She is one of those children that make you stop and look again when she enters the room, she is that exceptional!

She is 5 years old and has cerebral palsy. She follows directions, counts to ten, answers questions, and it is noted that her speech is clear and easy to understand. She creeps on her belly by herself but is mostly dependent on a stroller to get around. She is able to string beads and hold a crayon to scribble on paper.

Lorelei can sing a whole song by herself in Mandarin. She attends the orphanage school which she really enjoys! She feeds herself, but needs some help with dressing.

Some of Lorelei's favorite things to do are playing with the other kids, singing songs with hand motions, and going outside.

This lovely little one needs a family of her own. Could she be your daughter? Please contact April Uduhiriat april.uduhiri@gladney.org for more information.

Dexter! {Taiwan}

Introducing the one and only… Dexter. This 10 year old had our hearts the moment he walked in the room. Sporting his khaki shorts and bright orange shirt, the sweetest blue glasses with the warmest brown eyes behind them, and that smile how could we not melt?

Dexter is the sweetest, most gentle spirited, fun loving Lego pro I’ve ever laid eyes on. He is so well mannered and polite. He was quick to put together a car Lego kit. He even drew us a picture of the Lego car he put together in great detail. What an artist he is!

Dexter is so personable and eager to share his knowledge. During the intake question session he took the time to teach his foster mom how to speak some English. What a sweetheart!

Dexter is searching for his forever family. He is looking for a mom and dad to share his knowledge, build lots of Lego treasures and to draw his forever home. Dexter is precious! To the lucky family that becomes his forever family be prepared to have your heart melt as this young man changes your life forever. Could Dexter be your son? For Dexter’s full profile, please be in touch with Mary Chapman at mary.chapman@gladney.org.

Meet Lonnie!

Lonnie is a darling little 20 month old baby boy who loves to cuddle. Just look at those kissable little cheeks!

Lonnie has Down Syndrome and an extra digit on his left hand.

He rolls over, sits without support, and babbles. He likes to listen to music and watch TV. Which makes me laugh just a little. Can you imagine how this little one would thrive in a family!?

Our Advocacy Camp team spent time with him and all said he was such a cuddle bug! This sweet little one needs a family to call his own! Could Lonnie be your son? Please contact April Uduhiri at april.uduhiri@gladney.org  for more information about bringing him home!