WESTFIELD — Lacey Berger is thankful she can come to a place on Sunday where she is surrounded by other mothers who know exactly what she is going through.
“It gives us that safe place. We are with families that understand," she said.
On Sunday, Lacey brought her 8-year-old daughter, Margaret, to Miracle League Baseball for opening day of the league's second season.
The Miracle League allows children with physical and intellectual disabilities to play baseball alongside volunteers.
The league’s volunteer coordinator says it allows kids to be kids.
“(These kids) spend a lot of time in the hospital, they spend a lot of time at doctor's appointments,” explained Adrienne Vollmer. “This gives them the chance to be a part of it and play and do it on their own.”
This year’s opening day comes at a bittersweet time as many of the families in attendance are dealing with ongoing issues with FSSA.
Earlier this year, after a $1 billion shortfall, FSSA announced the evolution of the Attendant Care program.
Attendant Care is a specific service on a waiver that allows a family member to help with activities of daily living, including showering, getting them dressed and eating.
“it's been critical for us,” explained Berger. “The changes that are coming down the pipeline are a little bit scary.”
Berger shares that coming to a place like The Miracle League has provided her with a new comfort. Her child is able to enjoy the game she loves and she can converse with other adults about the challenges facing families who have been receiving benefits from FSSA.
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“Finding other people who are able to take over that care for me is very difficult right now,” explained Berger. “We’re hoping that the structure Family Care Plan will eventually get laid out a little bit better so that families know what to expect with it.”
Berger and Vollmer both shared that the league has helped take their minds off of the stress of it all.
“What we hope is that The Miracle League is something that can bring them joy, bring them light, be able to give them some sort of stress relief and something fun for their kids to do,” shared Vollmer.
“Finding opportunities for (Margaret) to be in the public eye is huge,” explained Berger. “We know in the end, she's going to be living at home with us full-time. So, giving her these opportunities to be amongst peers, learn how to adapt to different environments is ultimately our goal for her. So she can be a part of the community.”
For more information on the Miracle league, click here.
