Cerebral Palsy Care and Michael Holley

Michael Holley was a micro preemie and was born at just 26 weeks and two days. “Because he was born about three months too early, the doctors told us to be prepared for the possibility that Michael could have cerebral palsy,” his mother, Louise, recalls. “As he grew, my husband, Brian, and I noticed Michael was missing milestones. We were familiar with Gillette and knew it was the place to go to receive expert diagnosis and care for cerebral palsy.”

Gillette Children’s is one of the top centers in the world for pediatric cerebral palsy (CP) care. It is home to leading specialists in CP including pediatric orthopedics, neurology, neurosurgery, and therapists. Gillette shares its cerebral palsy expertise with doctors and providers around the world. The James R. Gage Center for Gait and Motion Analysis is one of the world’s busiest and most respected motion analysis labs.

Convenience, expertise and a bond

The Holley family lives in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota and appreciates the convenience and comprehensive services offered at the newly expanded Maple Grove Clinic. It was refurbished in 2020 to help serve Gillette families in the northern and western Twin Cities suburbs. There is now more space for new programs and services such as advanced imaging and X-ray, including state-of-the-art low-dose EOS X-ray. Families can have easier access to physical, occupational and speech therapy services and well as increased orthotics and prosthetic services.

“Michael has been coming to Gillette for eight years,” Louise says. “When Michael was younger, he was leery of doctors but the first moment he met Dr. Koop they just bonded. We also really like Dr. Sinner. She listens to us and provides excellent care.”

Orthopedic surgeon, Steven Koop, MD, recently retired from Gillette after 37 years. He is now the first Teacher Emeritus at Gillette and is working to help train the next generation of medical professionals.

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician (PM&R), Angela Sinner, DO, is part of Gillette’s highest concentration of PM&R specialists in the nation. Gillette is one of just three pediatric specialty programs in Minnesota accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) to meet the needs of young children and adolescents seeking acute inpatient rehabilitation.

A leader in research and advocacy

One of the core values at Gillette Children’s is to build a better world for all children. The families who come to us for care don’t give up and neither do we. We continuously innovate and search for answers. We treat more than 4,000 children each year who have cerebral palsy. This patient population means we can conduct ground-breaking research to achieve better outcomes and care for children diagnosed with cerebral palsy. We’re currently conducting research into many areas, including ways to assess the long-term outcomes of surgical procedures used to help children who have CP.

Gillette Children’s encourages children to dream big and create their own story. We’re committed to join families in advocating for children and better health care. In partnership with our families, we talk to Minnesota lawmakers and members of the U.S. Congress to make sure the issues affecting children with brain, bone and moment conditions are getting the attention and funding needed.

We’re currently advocating for inclusive playgrounds so that children with physical and mental disabilities have the opportunity to play, be safe, and make friends.

Gillette treats our family with respect

The Holley family is grateful for what Gillette Children’s does for families inside and outside of the hospital.

Today, Michael is 10 and working with various Gillette experts to gain strength, mobility, and independence. His mother beams, “The older Michael gets the more confident he is. I know he feels this way because his Gillette doctors and therapists are always positive and treat our family with respect.”

Michael loves basketball and his therapists incorporate his passion for the game into his therapy sessions. “I like to show people my wingspan!” Michael jokes.

The Holley family sees a bright future for Michael. “We have the same hopes any parent would have for their child,” Brian Holley says. “Thanks to our partnership with Gillette, we know Michael will grow up, live, work and maybe have a family. We are a family that is anchored in hope!”