The 2024 Passage to India Event took place on Friday, August 2nd  at Embassy Suites in East Peoria. In its 18^th year, the event has raised over $5 million for the children and families of Easterseals Central Illinois. Held annually, Passage to India promotes greater awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity in our community and celebrates the rich traditions of India and America cultures. This year’s theme was AI.

Another highlight of the evening is the presentation of the Banyan Tree Award Winner. This prestigious award named after the National Tree of India is presented annually to one or more persons in recognition of lifetime accomplishments, significant achievements, and exemplary contributions toward global economic prosperity, cross-cultural collaboration, and international goodwill. The award acknowledges strategic innovation in global markets, visionary leadership, and fostering the time honored spirit of philanthropy. Presented annually by the Passage to India Board of Directors and Easterseals Central Illinois, award criteria include:

·            Promoting greater understanding and appreciation of Asian-Indian Culture

·            Fostering International Goodwill

·            Creating innovative solutions to complex problems

·            Modeling the time-honored spirit of philanthropy; and

·            Exhibiting Visionary Leadership

“The Passage to India Board of Directors is honored to pressent two Banyan Tree Awards to a remarkable global CEO and an incredible husband and wife team focused on leaving a lasting impact,” said Seshadri Guha, CEO and founder of TADA Cognitive Solutions. “All three honorees are innovative thinkers and respected experts in their particular fields.  They have all played a pivotal role in revolutionizing and driving innovation.”

“As Chair of Easterseals Central Illinois Board of Directors, I am proud and honored to be part of presenting this year’s Banyan Tree award to not just one, but two women, for the first time ever,” said Dr. Meenakshy Aiyer, Regional Dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria.

The 2024 Banyan Tree Winners

About Upen and Dr. Mythily Varavasi

Mythily and Upen, partners in life and business, have a remarkable entrepreneurial journey. Upen co-founded Riversand in 2001, leading it to become a global leader in master data management (MDM) and product information Management (PIM) solutions, culminating in its acquisition in 2021. In 2022, they launched GrowthAXL, a venture studio focused on industries like healthcare, energy, and AI. Mythily, a medical doctor, and Upen aim to revolutionize the home healthcare Industries, leveraging their expertise in healthcare and technology.

Mythily is passionate about women’s entrepreneurship, community support for critically ill patients, and children’s education. She co-founded MPower, a platform for nurturing women entrepreneurs, and is involved in a startup providing second opinions and care support for patients. The couple also generously support children’s education and well-being globally, including projects like the Maternal and Child Health building in Kakinada, India.

Upen holds degrees in mechanical engineering from IIT Madras and Missouri Institute of Science and Technology.

About Jayshree Ullal

This year’s honoree, Jayshree Ullal, embodies the spirit of this prestigious award through her exceptional career and philanthropic endeavors.

Jayshree Ullal is a trailblazer in the fields of AI and cloud networking, serving as the President and CEO of Arista Networks. Under her visionary leadership, Arista Networks achieved a historic IPO in June 2014, growing from a nascent startup to a multibillion-dollar enterprise. Prior to Arista, Ullal held the position of Senior Vice President at Cisco, where she managed a $10 billion business segment focused on datacenter, switching, and services.

With over 40 years of experience in the networking industry, Ullal’s accolades are numerous. She was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst & Young in 2015, recognized as one of the “World’s Best CEOs” by Barron’s in 2018, and listed among Fortune’s “Top 20 Businesspersons” in 2019. Ullal’s academic accomplishments include a B.S. in Engineering (Electrical) and an M.S. in Engineering Management, and she has received Distinguished Alumni Awards from San Francisco State University and Santa Clara University

Past Banyan Tree Winners

• Sanjay Poonen- CEO and President, Cohesity
• Dr. Rajesh Soin – Chairman and CEO, Soin LLC
• Raj Subramaniam – President, FedEx
• Dr. Mehmood Khan – Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer, PepsiCo
• Rajiv Gupta – Founder/CEO, Stealth Startup
• Dr. Norman Borlaug, American Agronomist
• Jai Shekhawat – Founder, Fieldglass
• Romi Kadri – Managing Partner, Capella Partners
• Desh Deshpande – President and Chairman, Sparta Group
• Dr. Vijay Govindarajan – Coxe Distinguished Professor of Management, Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth
• Sanjay Khosla – CEO, Bunnik
• Vish Mishra – Venture Director, Clearstone Venture Partners and President and Trustee Emeritus, TiE
• Arun Nayar – Entrepreneur
• Sam Pitroda – Telecom Engineer, Entrepreneur
• Ashok Trivedi – Co-Founder/Co-Chairman, Mastech Inc. and IGATE

While many of us look forward to the twinkle of holiday lights, the serenade of familiar Christmas songs, and the scent of warm pumpkin pie or fresh pine branches, these same things can present unique and real challenges to children with sensory issues.  Recognizing and respecting these sensitivities is an important first step. With a little foresight and planning, families can create a sensory-friendly holiday season that allows everyone to enjoy the festivities.

1. Plan Ahead
You can minimize surprises and create a more predictable environment by sharing your holiday schedule with your child and discussing any potential changes or events. This can help reduce anxiety and provide a sense of structure.

It’s also a good idea to educate relatives and guests about your child’s sensory sensitivities. Share information about what may trigger discomfort and provide guidance on how to interact with your child. A little understanding can go a long way in creating a supportive and inclusive holiday environment.

2. Manage Lighting, Decorations and Noise Levels
Bright lights and flashy decorations are integral to holiday celebrations, but they can be intense for children with sensory sensitivities. Consider using soft, ambient lighting and opting for simpler, less overwhelming decorations. Dimmer switches or adjustable lights can also provide more control over the environment.

Holiday gatherings can also be noisy affairs, with music, laughter, and conversations filling the air. Consider encouraging breaks in a quiet space, or providing noise-canceling headphones, earplugs or headphones with preferred music to help manage auditory stimulation.

3. Incorporate Sensory-Friendly Activities
Choose holiday activities that cater to your child’s sensory needs. Whether it’s a quiet craft, baking cookies, or listening to calming music, find activities that bring joy without overwhelming sensory input. Involve your child in the planning process to ensure their preferences are considered.

4. Be Mindful of Foods/Smells
Holiday feasts often involve a variety of foods, some of which may be challenging for children with sensory issues. If necessary, bring familiar snacks or dishes to holiday gatherings to ensure your child has options they are comfortable with. If strange smells are difficult, bring along something familiar, like a scented lotion or lip balm, to override them.

5. Create a Quiet Space:
Designate a quiet, calm space where your child can retreat if the holiday festivities become overwhelming. Equip this space with comforting items like soft blankets, noise-canceling headphones, or fidget toys. Encourage your child to use this space whenever they feel the need to regroup.

Creating a sensory-friendly holiday season requires thoughtful planning and consideration. But by understanding sensitivities and implementing these strategies, you can foster an environment where everyone in the family can enjoy the magic of the holidays!

There’s no doubt the upcoming weeks of the holiday season can be filled with glad tidings and joy. But if you have a child with Sensory Processing Disorder, the days off from school, numerous outings, and a lack of structure can also lead to a season of chaos, outbursts and frustration.

Our staff has put together the following action points to help your child regulate and your family engage in his or her development as the New Year approaches.

• Preparation is key! Remember to use antecedent strategies prior to transitions or non-preferred activities (holiday parties, meeting Santa, etc.). These may include:
  • Telling your child what to expect. Ex: “We will go to Aunt Kelly’s house for one hour and see your three cousins.”
  • Teaching/reminding your child how to request a break.  
  • Providing fidgets or having preferred items available. 
  • Delivering behavior-specific praise for appropriate behavior in these settings. Ex: “You did a great job staying in your seat during the song.”
  • Provide choices whenever possible. Ex: “Do you want to walk or ride in the cart? Do you want to sit on Santa’s lap or stand next to him?”
  • Give clear and concise instructions. Ex: “Time to ride in the cart” instead of “I want you to ride in the cart because it’s really busy and I don’t want you to get lost.” 
  • Remove question verbiage Ex: “Time to get in the cart” instead of “Are you ready to get in the cart?”
  • Use first/then verbiage with non-preferred/preferred activities. Ex: “First we will put on our jackets and then we will go outside.”
• Engage in social routines to facilitate language development.  Ex:  “Where is the Elf on the shelf?”
• Model core vocabulary and fringe words on your child’s system throughout holiday activities such as decorating the Christmas tree.
• Play describing games with holiday characters.  Ex: “Guess who has a red nose and flies?”
• Communicate holiday gifts or “wants” by all forms of communication. Ex: “I want ___” or “I like___.”
• Engage in conversations about holiday activities or read holiday stories.
• Sing holiday songs; repeated lines may be able to be programmed on AAC devices so that everyone can join in and sing along.
• Plan daily schedules or routines, and adapt them visually as needed. Try using the “Notes” app on your phone to make a list that can be checked off as things as completed. Use Google Images to find pictures of experiences or places for younger children to follow. Or carry a pad of paper and make stick figures if you need to!
• Plan holiday outfits in advance or consider letting your child help pick out her outfit. The cutest holiday sweater will be a bust if she over responds to how it feels!
• Honor all forms of communication, including words, communicative gestures, manual signs, and AAC devices.
• Bring preferred food options to assure a favorite accepted food remains available across situations. Does it really matter if your child eats turkey or chicken nuggets?

Finally, keep an eye out for sensory friendly holiday experiences. Here’s a great resource from our friends at University of Illinois College of Medicine!

At Easterseals Central Illinois, we strive to empower our pediatric therapists with every piece of equipment needed to help children reach their goals. In physical therapy, a number of our clients are working on mobility. Mobility looks different for every child. For some, the LiteGait system plays a vital role in their progress.

According to the LiteGait website: LiteGait provides postural control and weight-bearing assistance for fall-free therapeutic activities. It permits the clinician to be hands-free when working with clients of all functional levels and diagnoses, to focus on better quality and increased quantity of practice.

Thanks to the generous support of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois, we have been able to acquire an enhanced medical-grade treadmill, a crucial part of the LiteGait system.

The enhanced treadmill is not merely a piece of exercise equipment; it’s a lifeline for children with developmental delays. This advanced treadmill, expertly designed to integrate with Easterseals’ LiteGait system, offers precision in gait training. It starts as slow as 0.1 mph, a level of control unmatched by commercial treadmills. This level of precision empowers clinicians to assist even infants as young as 10 months old, allowing them to address delays sooner and more effectively. The enhanced treadmill offers a unique feature, GaitSens, enabling therapists to analyze and target specific gait aspects, resulting in more customized and impactful care for each child

The Community Foundation of Central Illinois has an essential element of support—capacity building. Their generous funding to acquire a new enhanced treadmill aligns perfectly with Easterseals Central Illinois’ mission to provide exceptional services. With the capacity to provide better care, Easterseals can ensure that children with developmental delays, disabilities, and special needs have the opportunity to reach their full potential. This grant not only supports their mission but also ensures the maximum utilization of the LiteGait system.

At Easterseals Central Illinois, every child’s story is a testament to the incredible potential that exists within them. Like our friend Isaac, who recently celebrated his 9th birthday. He has been receiving services from Easterseals Central Illinois since he was 4 months old; he has experienced so much progress with us.

Isaac’s life is woven with the threads of music, as it plays a significant role in his daily routine. He’s an avid listener and enjoys watching videos of his favorite musicians. The power of music to uplift and inspire is evident in Isaac’s life, and it’s heartening to see how it brings a smile to his face.

Apart from music, Isaac finds joy in some other activities too. He loves swinging, relaxing in the hot tub at his home, and taking a dip in the Easterseals pool. One of his most endearing habits is giving hugs to his family members and putting his arm around them when he’s sitting close. These simple gestures are a beautiful reminder of the power of love and connection.

This past Spring and Summer, something remarkable happened in Isaac’s life. His family made the decision to switch to pool therapy as part of his occupational therapy (OT). This change had a profound impact on Isaac’s overall well-being. His therapist, Erin, was pleasantly surprised by the newfound enthusiasm he brought to his therapy sessions. The water seemed to work like magic, making Isaac happier, causing more laughter, and igniting his eagerness to engage in pool therapy.

In the pool, Isaac has been working on various skills. From reaching and grasping pool toys to pushing and pulling objects, he’s been on a journey of discovery and achievement. One unforgettable moment that left an indelible mark was watching Isaac toss and push a big beach ball across the water.

It was a triumph, a testament to his determination and the dedicated efforts of his therapist and family. Easterseals Central Illinois holds a special place in Isaac’s heart and his family’s as well. With the introduction of pool therapy, they’ve witnessed their beloved Isaac achieve things they once thought were impossible. The pool therapy has been nothing short of a blessing for them. The best part is that Isaac doesn’t even consider it “work” because he loves swimming so much. It’s not just therapy; it’s fun and a profound source of joy.