Saylor Cummings

Why we walk for Apraxia Kids!

Saylor was formally diagnosed on Valentine's Day, 2023, a day we'll never forget. How ironic that she received this diagnosis on a day that celebrates love, because she is truly full of it. ❤️

Among her other diagnoses, Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is especially close to our hearts. CAS is a lifelong neurological speech disorder that affects the brain's ability to plan and coordinate the movements needed for speech. Saylor knows what she wants to say, but her brain has difficulty communicating those messages to her mouth.

As you can imagine, this can be incredibly frustrating. There are times when she becomes overwhelmed, dysregulated, and faces daily challenges that most people never see.

For the past five years, Saylor has worked incredibly hard. We have watched her overcome obstacles, find her voice, and reach milestones that we were unsure she would ever meet. 

It can be heartbreaking to watch your child struggle with something many of us take for granted. That's what makes this journey so personal to us, and why raising awareness for apraxia means so much.

Through it all, one thing I hear most often about Saylor is, "She's so happy." And she truly is. You'll almost always find her laughing, smiling, and always wanting to have fun. Her joy is contagious, and the way she continues to find happiness despite her daily challenges is something we admire so much.

She is so incredibly special, and we feel beyond lucky that we get to be her parents. We are grateful for the love, encouragement, and support we've received throughout this journey, and we are proud to celebrate her and help raise awareness for a disorder that deserves so much more attention.

We will spend every day advocating for Saylor, being her voice while she continues to work so hard to find hers.