Five-year-old Victoria Terrio loves to run around and play like any child her age.

The only difference, Victoria has CHARGE syndrome.

She was born with her eye retinas not completely formed, a bone blockage in her left nare, retardation of growth and her windpipe attached to her esophagus.

When kids are going through their lunchbox at school, Victoria has to sit in a chair for an hour while being fed through her feeding tube.

Last winter was the first time in Victoria’s young life that she was able to play in the snow.

What does the future hold for young Victoria? Only time will tell.

A broken marriage, bankruptcy and the hope there’s something positive around the corner are all things Heidi Penning, Hayden’s mother has to overcome.

Heidi’s journey leading up to Hayden receiving Printer hasn’t been an easy one.

Every year Heidi and David Parkhill, Heidi’s husband, have to apply for some sort of funding related to Hayden’s special needs.

On Sept. 9, 2007 Heidi sent the following letter for a funding request to the Pressures & Priorities Committee, here’s an excerpt.

“I provide Hayden with a do-it-yourself ABA program when there was no IBI program in this province. Price tag? $35,000 a year for several years until we lost the family farm, our house and all our belongings to bankruptcy.”

Lauren Dora, 10, was diagnosed with autism at age four and is currently enrolled in the ABA/IBI program where she spends 20 hours a week in Intensive Behavioural Intervention therapy.

Pat La Londe, Lauren’s mother, has been active in the autism community ever since her daughter was diagnosed.

She currently sits on the Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC rep) for the Limestone District School Board, which represents students in the counties of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington.

La Londe who is fighting Crohn’s Disease says it’s important for her to give back to the autism community because she was helped out throughout her battle.

She is also one of the founding member of The Alliance for Families with Autism (AFA), a non-partisan group.

On Nov. 27, 2007, 12-year-old Hayden Kaack was the recipient of Printer the first ever autism service dog in Kingston, Ont.

Printer was given to Hayden through National Service Dogs.

National Service Dogs is a non-profit organization based out Cambridge, Ont.

They provide service dogs to children with autism and special needs.

Printer will serve Hayden in two capacities: friend and protector.

Hayden’s only means of communication with his family is through limited sign language and a picture book.

Hayden’s family consists of his mother (Heidi Penning), stepfather (David Parkhill) and his 10-year-old sister (Olivia).

Not only does this family have one child with autism, but two.

David has a 21-year-old son, Kevin, from a previous marriage who has autism.

Interview with Pat La Londe, one of the founding members of The Alliance for Families with Autism.

Listen to audio feature:

She was a grunt worker in a factory and now holds the title of first-ever international director of the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation.

Lisa Weir, the only Canadian sitting on the foundation’s board of director’s talks about how she got started with the foundation, why she felt it was important to bring a Canadian influence, starting the first CHARGE group in Canada and the reason Canadians aren’t informed enough about CHARGE.

Her duties for the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation are secretary and chairperson of the education committee.

All the while chronicling the day-to-day happenings of her nine-year-old daughter, Kennedy who has CHARGE syndrome in “The Adventures of Kennedy” blog.

Listen to audio feature:

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