Across the lake, Kelli watches her son, Dorian, laughing with friends. He isn’t looking for help. He isn’t looking back for direction. He’s just there, being a teenager and doing something he loves on a summer day. For her, this is everything.
At age 5, Dorian was diagnosed with a brain tumor and suffered multiple strokes. After extensive treatment, he successfully beat cancer, but was left with physical and cognitive challenges that continue to shape his daily life.
What started over two years ago as a one-off family ski day with the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD), has now grown into joining our programs year-round though archery, cycling, rock climbing, paddling, and camp adventures.
Dorian has since grown stronger and more independent, building confidence that extends far beyond adaptive sports.
From Participant Mom to Volunteer
Kelli knew she wanted to find a way to give back to the programs that had done so much for her son, Dorian, and their entire family. Today, Kelli is also an NSCD volunteer, giving hours of her time each week to help create those same kinds of opportunities for other participants.
And sometimes, Dorian is in the same NSCD program she is volunteering for, and their worlds overlap. Those are the moments Kelli treasures most, when she catches a glimpse of her son thriving independently while still sharing the same experience together.
“NSCD has given our family the gift of play,” she says. “We’ve discovered that we can enjoy the outdoors without fear or limitation.”