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Sasha’s Heading to the Special Olympics USA Games!! Sasha is a bright, ebullient 16-year-old. She was referred to Tichenor Clinic when her doctors saw that she could benefit from treatment for hemiplegia, a type of Cerebral Palsy resulting in stiffness and weakness of half the body, as well as speech and social communication delays. She was eager to participate in our physical therapy fitness program, speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, and the Rich Kempster Swim Program (RKSP). It was in the pool that Sasha found her passion. There, she discovered mobility, speed, and ease in a way she hadn’t experienced on land. After completing RKSP, she moved on to join the Special Olympics organization as a new athlete in both swimming and softball!   Above left, 4-year-old Sasha in occupational therapy at Tichenor, and above right, 9-year-old Sasha in our swim program!
Sasha thrived as a Special Olympics athlete, winning awards like Most Improved Athlete of 2018! After five years of hard work, Sasha recently shared some exciting news! Watch along as Sasha finds out she’s been selected for the Special Olympics USA Games ’22! (the announcement starts at 2:10!)  Her mother Yeshika shares: “It’s thanks to Tichenor that Sasha became an excellent swimmer. We are so grateful for all your support!”
Please join us in celebrating Sasha’s accomplishments and watch this space next summer as we update you on Sasha’s trip to Orlando, FL for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games!!!
A Magical Evening Celebrating Lori 
Click to read Rich Archbold’s article on Lori, Shirley Wild’s column coverage (second article down), and a beautiful 95th anniversary and Lori tribute video by Digital Revolution.
The next evening, we celebrated again at the clinic, where former patients – now teens! – gave speeches and guests were treated to dinner by Stacked.
Thank you, Lori! We hope you are enjoying the first month of your retirement!
A Very Special Visit One afternoon in August 1945, children were swimming at The Plunge, a public pool in downtown Long Beach, when two of those children suddenly became very sick and were rushed by ambulance to the hospital.  One of those children was a 10-year-old boy named Dick who fell unconscious for a week with a fever surpassing 106. As the city came under strict quarantine and infantile paralysis – now known as polio – began to spread, doctors determined that the children would not survive. One tragically did not, but Dick came back to consciousness, alive and paralyzed.
For over 8 months, Dick came to Tichenor Clinic five days a week for aquatic therapy and eventually, with incredibly hard work by him and encouragement from our therapists, he walked again. He played high school basketball at St. Anthony, became a dentist, married the love of his life, Barbara, and raised five children.
Last Saturday, those five children and some of their children visited us at the clinic!  We showed them the original registration book with the entry of his name and toured the pool where the intensive therapy happened.   It was such a pleasure to welcome the McBride family to Tichenor Clinic for Children!
Every day, we work toward our mission to provide access to therapy that can change families’ lives. Thank you for this special visit that brought that mission to life!
Recent Grants! MemorialCare Community Benefit Grant  In funding news, we are thrilled to have been selected as one of three recipients of the 2021 MemorialCare Community Benefit Grant! Thank you, MemorialCare! Long Beach Rotary Charitable Foundation Literacy Grant  I’m Ready!™ guidebooks have arrived! (English only for now)
Thank you to Long Beach Rotary Charitable Foundation for funding 30 books for families as part of our Literacy Grant!  Tichenor Fact of the Month Since the opening of Tichenor Clinic for Children in 1926, over 32,740 children have received therapy in over 677,000 visits!
ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)! News Roundup
In Honor of October’s Disability History Month:
Long Beach Citizens’ Advisory Commission on Disabilities (CACOD) Special Event Recording: Disability History: A Virtual Celebration of the Historic Contributions of America’s Disability Community (event facilitated by CACOD Chairperson and Tichenor Board Member Jennifer Kumiyama, presentation by CACOD Commissioner and Tichenor Board Member Nubia Flores, and a presentation and closing statement by Commissioner and Tichenor staff member Kim Vuong) Willowbrook: The Last Great Disgrace – a 1972 exposé on institutionalization of disabled people (a 30-minute documentary, part of which was shown during the event above) Eugenics: In the Shadow of Fairview a 4-minute piece on the 1923-1983 period where over 2,600 Oregonians were forcibly sterilized if they were deemed unfit for reproduction
More news:
Do School Mask Bans Violate the Rights of Children with Disabilities? Parents Of Children With Disabilities Join The Legal Battle Over Masks In Schools Federal Judge Blocks State Ban on Mask Mandates in Schools Children With Disabilities Face Back to School Challenges How California Plans to Deter Costly Special Education Disputes
Upcoming Events! Turkey Giveaway, Adopt a Family, Holiday Drive-Thru Save the Dates! More Details to Come!
Saturday, November 20: Turkey Giveaway Starting Wednesday, December 1: Adopt-a-Family & Holiday Toy Drive
Please note the clinic will be closed from Monday, December 20 through Friday, December 31.
Our Contact Information Long Beach, CA 90804-2103
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