Easter Seals Disability Services

Larry and Jessica Moses had a plan... Easter Seals Rhode Island Early Intervention Services Part One of their plan was to open a therapeutic and hippotherapy riding farm—a place that offers physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, using horses as tools to achieve therapeutic goals... and Lend-a-Hand Horse Farm was born. Once the farm was up and running, Part Two of their plan was to have one baby and later adopt a couple more. But instead of having one baby, they had triplets...and Luna, Summer and Maja were born.

After spending two months in the neonatal intensive care unit, the girls went home with their parents to their 220- year old farmhouse and the family’s 11 horses. Because the girls were born two months prematurely, they qualified for Early Intervention services and within a week of their homecoming, a team of Easter Seals professionals visited the farm to evaluate their development.

Having started a developmental playgroup at their farm for children receiving services through Easter Seals, Larry
and Jessica were no strangers to the organization and the benefits of Early Intervention. “Easter Seals has always made us feel like they were here to support us in any way possible,” said Larry. “Having Easter Seals professionals has always brought us so much comfort. They have answered all our questions and let us know we weren’t in this alone.”

Jessica echoes Larry’s appreciation for the support they have received from Easter Seals in raising their triplets.
“When the girls were born, there was so much going on with them medically—it was much more than we had imagined,” recalls Jessica. “The closer it came to taking them home, the more nervous we got. Easter Seals gave us
the option of getting as much help as we wanted and we worked with our team to figure out what was best for our
family.”

Easter Seals Physical Therapist Pat Dutson and Easter Seals Service Coordinator Rachael Corr, RN, have
monitored the triplet’s development.“From the beginning the triplets have done very well,” said Rachael. “Jessica, Larry, and their support system of family and friends have been wonderful for the girls. The girls are very strong, just like their family! Our role has been minimal because the family is so supportive and they provide the girls with the experiences and love they need to grow and develop.”

“The triplets are little miracles. I went to see them in the NICU. They were so tiny and fragile looking, with all of the
tubes,” recalls Pat. “They are now so full of energy and personality. Those girls are thriving!”
Those “thriving,” happy one-year-olds are off and running. Summer is feisty and fearless. Luna is active and athletic.
Maja is shy and loving. Collectively, they are the joys of their parent’s lives. Pat and Rachael visit every two months
now to track the girls’ progress.

As for the Moses’ master plan for life, their experience has instilled in them that “some things are just meant to be and you can’t always plan things out.”

“It was always such a great feeling to know that we were helping other parents out by opening up our farm to Easter Seals clients,” said Larry. “And now it’s even that much greater to be a part of too.”

Click here to learn more about Early Intervention Services in Rhode Island