Starpoint staff raises money for Variety Club celebrity twins – Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

The Starpoint Central School District family saw a couple of familiar faces on their televisions on April 2. Twins Kelly and Kyle Hoffman were this years celebrity children for the 55th annual Variety Kids telethon that supports Women and Childrens Hospital.

The two 6-year-olds were born 10 weeks early and each only weighed two pounds, nine ounces. While at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Kelly and Kyle struggled to breathe and eat. They relied on oxygen machines for eight weeks and feeding tubes for six weeks. It was very touch and go while the twins struggled to stay alive.

They were eventually allowed to go home with their parents, Stacy and Brian Hoffman, but both twins exhibited a severe delay with gross motor skills and moderate delay with fine motor skills by the time they were 6 months old.

The Fricano Primary kindergartners were monitored by the Robert Warner Center and Women and Childrens Hospital. It was a blessing to have the Robert Warner Center. Their recommendation was very helpful and allowed us as parents to increase and add services through early intervention when necessary, Stacy Hoffman said. The therapists there are wonderful. They know how to get children to do the necessary things to get them on track.

At age 2, Kelly was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. After years of therapy, treatment, a major surgery and occupational therapy and physical therapy at the school, Kelly learned to balance and start talking some independent steps by the age of 5. Today she is able to independently ambulate short distances, use canes for longer distances and save her posterior walker for very long distances.

Kyle responded nicely with his therapies as well, including OT, PT and speech therapy, to the point that he no longer needs therapy at all.

The entire Starpoint faculty and staff participated in a dress down day on March 22 to raise money for the telethon.They raised $500 to donate to the Variety Club.

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Starpoint staff raises money for Variety Club celebrity twins - Lockport Union-Sun & Journal