Special Focus

Scott was a captain in the Wisconsin Army National Guard that served in Iraq.  While there, he volunteered at the Mother Teresa Orphanage, which accommodated children with disabilities.  It was there that Scott met Ala’a, an 11 year old boy with cerebral palsy.  Ala’a couldn’t walk on his own, though he could move his legs and walk if Scott held him.  Scott recognized that Ala’a was a great kid who desperately wanted to walk and to learn.  He wanted to adopt Ala’a, but was not permitted to under Iraqi law.  Scott knew though that if he remained, Ala’a would have little chance of going to school or learning to walk and would likely be moved to an adult orphanage with little or no services.

Due to Scott’s work with the Iraqi Police Service, the Minister of Labor and Social Relations approved a move to the U.S. Scott had to demonstrate, however, how he would arrange care in Wisconsin to help Ala’a improve his motor skills and, hopefully, learn to walk. 

Scott contacted United Cerebral Palsy’s (UCP’s) Community Outreach Program to help him give Ala’a a new beginning.  UCP responded with names of medical professionals, county agencies and school district information.  UCP outlined the process to arrange for assistive technology, suggested resources to seek grants and even provided contact information for organizations concerned with international adoption.  UCP’s Executive Director wrote a letter of support for Ala’a’s visa application and helped Scott feel that he was not “out in the wilderness” wondering where to turn for help.

Ala’a is now in the U.S. where he is enrolled in school, has received excellent medical care and is now able to walk using a walker. 

UCP is proud to have helped Ala’a along his path to a new home.

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