Gracie’s Climb

Today, Gracie has continued to thrive. She plays soccer and enjoys swimming, mastering three of the four strokes thanks to the dedication of her coach. Her attitude has always been fueled by perseverance, and maybe just a bit of Miley Cyrus. “There’s a song called The Climb, and it’s our little theme song,” Sara said. “She doesn’t take no for an answer. She makes it happen.”

Gracie was originally a patient at the Shriners Children's Houston location but moved her care to Galveston when the hospitals combined in 2021. “But it ended up not being bad,” Sara said. “We still received the same high-quality care we always had.”

Gracie now wears nighttime braces and custom shoe inserts made by the POPS team at Shriners Children’s Texas, whom she describes as “super friendly.” She returns to the hospital for yearly checkups, including hip and pelvic X-rays and spine monitoring for scoliosis, a common condition in children with cerebral palsy.

Despite the hurdles she’s faced, Gracie lives with purpose and ambition. She wants to become a veterinarian one day. She loves Carrie Underwood and shares her home with her beloved husky, Jake. Recently, she was able to spend some time at an event collaboration with Shriners Children’s Texas and Clear Creek Independent School District (CCISD). “I made strawberry pop tarts,” Gracie said. “It was awesome.”

Sara said watching her daughter conquer both big and small milestones brings reassurance. “I know she’ll be able to live on her own, drive a car and hold down a regular job. It’s just truly amazing to watch her grow into herself.”

And Gracie? She wouldn’t change a thing. “I would do it all again,” she said.

Sara agreed without hesitation. “It’s absolutely worth it. Shriners Children’s will do whatever they can to give your child the most normal and fulfilling life possible.”