Meet Winter
Winter, 9, from Northwestern Pennsylvania, will be starting 4th grade this fall. She loves playing video games, kicking around a soccer ball and trying new things, especially when it means learning or taking on a new challenge. Curious and creative, Winter has not only grown stronger physically but has also discovered her voice and confidence along the way. Winter’s painting titled Rainbow Kitties features cats on a rainbow and on the moon, inspired by her favorite animal. She combined two of her favorite things, cats and rainbows, because she thinks they go nicely together. The painting is especially meaningful to her because it reminds her of her own cats: Donut, who looks like the cats in the painting and Moon Kitty, a glow-in-the-dark sticker cat on her bedroom ceiling. The artwork reflects her colorful imagination and the joy she finds in creating. Winter’s journey with Shriners Children’s Erie began after a serious blood infection developed into a complex condition that affected her muscles and nerves, eventually requiring skin grafts. Once she left the hospital, her care team knew she needed specialized support to regain independence with daily tasks like brushing her hair and tying her shoes. They recommended occupational and physical therapy at Shriners Children’s Erie, where Winter continues to make incredible strides in rebuilding her strength, confidence and independence.
