Bella's Journey: Defying Limits and Inspiring Independence

Isabella is a 14-year-old girl who dreams of living life like any other teenager her age. Despite her diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy, Bella never lets it hold her back from participating in activities she loves. She’s resourceful and always helps us find creative solutions to ensure our lives are filled with excitement and adventure.

At just 2 years old, Bella began reading, and by the time she joined Pre-K, she already knew most of what her peers were just starting to learn. She has always been an eager learner and genuinely enjoys school more than anyone I’ve ever known. Bella is fluent in three languages, and although her speech can sometimes be difficult for others to understand, she never gives up and keeps trying until she’s heard. She also uses a communication device when speaking to larger audiences, allowing her to share her thoughts more effectively.

Bella drives a wheelchair to move around and uses a pacer for activities at school. Her desire to be part of all the activities gives her the strength to keep up with everyone's pace. 

Bella has participated in the Iowa Miss Amazing pageant twice, and in 2022, she was crowned Iowa Miss Amazing Pre-Teen. She has a big heart and uses her unique skills, including digital drawing and writing with her eyes, to create calendars and books. She sells these to raise money for various causes, which contributed to her success in the competition.

Bella also had the exciting opportunity to audition for the role of Melody in the Disney movie Out of My Mind. Although she didn’t get the part, she was thrilled to learn that the director was committed to casting someone with Cerebral Palsy for the lead role.

We’ve been fortunate to provide Bella with diverse experiences that have shown her there’s more than one place in the world. She traveled to Europe, where she wrote an article about the accessibility of various locations, and has also visited Colombia multiple times to explore her parents' home country. Through these experiences, Bella has begun to envision her future. She aspires to advocate for people with special needs and is determined to design and develop equipment that helps kids like her gain greater independence.

We believe living in Iowa has been instrumental in helping Bella reach where she is today. The resources we’ve found and the ongoing support we’ve received during challenging times have been crucial to her success. Early Access and ASK provided guidance at the start of our journey with Bella and continue to support us throughout her school years.

When we lived in Iowa City, it was easy to get her to all her therapies without any issues. During the pandemic, we received excellent support to continue her education online. After moving to Ankeny, IA, even more opportunities opened up for Bella. Various organizations now offer activities that are perfect for a girl her age, including Dance Without Limits, which she absolutely loves.

There is not a year that passes by without Bella doing wonderful things. She is really an inspiration to so many and most importantly to us, her family.