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MIRACLES at Shaw

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman John Gordinier
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  January 24, 2001, the Lord blessed the Barber family with a third son, Aaron. Parents, Danielle and Tech. Sgt. John Barber, 20th Component Maintenance Squadron, were so elated to have three boys and Aaron was privileged to have two loving older brothers, Jonathan and Evan.

"Aaron was no different from our other boys and always enjoyed the cradle of our arms," said Danielle Barber. "At six-weeks old Aaron was very floppy and was not thriving to make typical milestones. As time went on, it was more and more evident something was just not right with our baby."

August 19, 2003, when Aaron was two and a half years old, Shaw pediatrics sent the Barber family to the Developmental Pediatric team at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., to diagnose Aaron's problems.

"That day we were shocked to find out Aaron had mild to moderate developmental delay," Mrs. Barber said. "We were so devastated, all the hopes and dreams we typically have for our children of girlfriends, college, marriage and grandchildren were shattered that day.

"We came home so heavy hearted grieving over the loss, hoping that it was temporary and Aaron would outgrow it," she said.

An interventionalist put the Barber family in touch with Family Connections, which is a parent to parent support group offered in South Carolina.

"After meeting my parent support partner, it was helpful to know there was support if needed," Mrs. Barber said. "I became very isolated and depressed over Aaron and spent my time trying to get through the day of home schooling my two oldest sons and taking Aaron to his therapies. The depression got so out of control that I was unable to continue home schooling. I had to put my two oldest sons in public school and when Aaron turned three years old, he went to pre-school. I became really desperate to meet someone else who had a child with developmental delay. I went to 'The Arc of the Midlands' Website and found a gathering taking place in West Columbia, S.C., and met other parents who encouraged me to fill out an application for a program called Partners in Policymaking."

In this program, Mrs. Barber said she learned about laws, acts, resources, how to bring systems change and how to become the best advocate for her son and others with disabilities.

In April, 2006, Mrs. Barber said she went on a quest to find out where military families turn in situations like hers. Realizing there was no such program at Shaw, she started a support group in May called Military Incorporating Resources, Achieving Change and Lending Emotional Support.

"It has been a great success thus far," Mrs. Barber said. "It has truly been a blessing from God and has brought awareness, support and help to the base. We are able to share each others experiences, give advice and lend each other resources.

"An important aspect of the MIRACLES support group is that it gives caregivers a group of people who can relate to each other's lives, worries, challenges and victories," said Patti Busser, 20th Medical Operations Squadron Family Advocacy Program manager. "They can be a shoulder to cry on and each other's cheerleaders. It's all about being able to understand what it feels like to walk in the shoes of someone with a special needs family member."