STARability Foundation exists to transform the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. By joining my fundraiser, we can ensure that hundreds of STAR participants can continue learning, connecting with the community, training for and getting jobs, and engaging in life-enriching experiences in Collier County. Help me reach my goal!
My name is Tiffany Weeks and StarAblility has changed my life! It has enabled me to interact with my peers and the community on a daily basis while engaging in life enriching experiences! My sister Heather Caamano is going to write my story so that you may all have some background on my journey.
Tiffany was born March 28, 1977 in Los Angels, California to a single mother. Tiffany's biological mom tried to abort her when she was six months pregnant. The abortion failed and Tiffany was born with many life long afflictions including Hydrocephalus (water on the brain), cerebral palsy, and is legally blind but can see things up close with the help of glasses. Tiffany has had heart and lung surgery and has had her shunt replaced once. Tiffany is resilient and faces everyday with a smile on her face! Tiffany joined our family in 1979 as my mother was a foster parent for the state of Florida. Tiffany's real mother had hitchhiked from California to Immokalee, Florida where she was taken away from her mother for failure to thrive and only weighing 12 pounds at 2 years of age. My mother was called and Tiffany join our family soon after. When Tiffany arrive at our home as a two year old she could only lay on a blanket! She wasn't able to hold a bottle, speak, crawl, or walk. After several months with us, Tiffany's caseworker came by and informed my mother that Tiffany's biological mother's rights were terminated and that the State of Florida wanted to institutionalize her. My mother was so upset that she called the governor of Florida to fight for this child! The governor returned my mother's call and Tiffany was able stay with our family. The governor made a deal with my mother that if there was no improvement in Tiffany's well being after 6 months that she would go into an institution. My mother got to work right away and enrolled Tiffany in physical, occupational, and speech therapies at Step by Step a new company offering therapies to children. My mother also worked with Tiffany on the days she didn't have scheduled therapies. All of her hard work paid off and Tiffany began to improve and was able to stay with our family and not be institutionalized. With all of the therapies Tiffany was receiving she began to sit up unaided, babble, and crawl on her own. Therapy continued for many years as Tiffany became more and more independent! When Tiffany turned 5 years old she was able to enter a regular kindergarten class and be with her peers! Tiffany had a great team of therapist and teachers who also wanted to see her succeed! Around third grade Tiffany became interested in The Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in Saint Augustine, Florida and was invited to attended summer camp there. Tiffany fell in love the school and was accepted there for fifth grade. She went on to graduate from FSDB in 1997. Tiffany lived with her brother Scott up until his passing in June of 2021. During her brothers illness both Tiffany and their brother Scott began living with their sister Heather and her family. Tiffany began attending StarAbility in 2016 and joined the Trailblazer Academy also that year! Tiffany loves attending StarAbility because she loves to go bowling and volunteering at different work sites in the community! The relationships that she has made with her peers will last a lifetime! Please help Tiffany reach her goal as StarAbilty is close to her heart and means the world to her! Tiffany loves American Gladiator's, bowling, and hanging out with friends!
