Cheyenne Fischer was the first client to be served by The Gregory Center for Exceptional Children & Families, Inc. back in 1998. She was only four years old at the time. Her favorite activity at the Gregory Center was Kiddie Ballethnicize, a special inclusive dance program for our differently abled children taught by the director and co-founder of Ballethnic Dance Company and Ballethnic Academy of Dance in East Point, Georgia. The Gregory Center for Exceptional Children & Families, Inc. closed its doors in 2003 after the death of Baby Gregory. Shortly thereafter we resumed serving children when Cheyenne’s mother, Rhonda Fischer, called desperately seeking assistance. Cheyenne was in a life-threatening crisis that required immediate surgery, but the surgeon was in another state. At 3 am Dr. BB jumped into gear to secure the Angel Flight that would transport Cheyenne to the hospital that was waiting to do the life-saving procedure. The Gregory Center coffers were depleted to send her family with her to support her. The surgery was a huge success. Dr. BryantBruce cried tears of joy when a lovely, delicate voice on the phone identified herself as Cheyenne years later. Cheyenne had a tracheotomy the whole time Dr. BryantBruce had known her, so it was the first time Doc ever heard the child’s true voice. A few others served by the center included a child from Togo who was assisted in getting an artificial arm, a child from the Philippines who was granted her wish for a wheelchair, and a young boy who attended Kiddie Ballethnicize on a mobile ventilator and danced with movements of his tongue only.
Although the Gregory Center for Exceptional Children & Families, Inc. was offline for several years while its staff worked through its grief over the loss of Baby Gregory, we have reconvened to resurrect The Gregory Center and restore it to its prior glory. The project will start with three programs initially: Kiddie Ballethnicize, an inclusive basketball league for differently abled children, and a toy and equipment lending closet that will allow children to try out and train with different items before purchasing the most personally suitable ones for home use.
Additionally, the center will be assisting a young girl from Pakistan in obtaining a bionic hand.
Please contact us directly if you are interested in making a larger financial donation or if you are interested in donating your time and services. Additionally, we are seeking a donation of a location in or near downtown Sacramento, CA where the the Gregory Center can be housed until such time that we have raised the funds to purchase a permanent facility.
