Niki Turner Photo
RBC | Two-year-old Grayson Campos called out the names of letters in the coworking space window as people signed in for a wreath-making fundraiser to benefit Horizons Specialized Services. His mother, Brittny, was there to share her family’s experience with Horizons during the last year and a half.
Grayson is the youngest of the three Campos children. Sister Harper is 5 and brother Finnegan is 6. Dad Mario works for Rangely Community Wellness and Medical Center in IT. Brittny is a freelancer for the Herald Times. The family was first introduced to Horizons at a children’s health fair.
Horizons, a nonprofit organization based in Steamboat Springs, offers services in a multi-county area for infants through adults. In Rio Blanco County, they provide developmental screenings and early intervention for infants and children, supported living services for adults, as well as family support services that help qualifying families with copays and mileage for medical expenses.
According to Sarah Grimes, who is the service coordinator for the early intervention program and the family support program, the organization serves 17-20 children in early ntervention, 8-12 families in family support, and two adults in RBC every year.
Grimes came to Horizons first as a parent. Her son experienced a birth injury that required early intervention services.
“I am so grateful that my son was able to receive early intervention services,” Grimes said via email. “The occupational services that he was receiving, provided the necessary strength and rehabilitation that he needed to surpass what the doctors thought possible.”
When Dr. Abigail Urish at the Rangely hospital noticed some delays in Grayson’s infant development and recommended Horizons, Brittny “was a little concerned” but chalked up some of the delays to Grayson being a little stubborn. “I didn’t totally realize how much help he could use.”
They began meeting with Horizons staff regularly for treatment. “Sarah and the crew came over to Rangely and everyone was great. They talked to me like I was a person, and they talked to all my kids. They treated all of us very sweetly and came together and told us what we could do to help Grayson,” Brittny said. They opted, at the time, for occupational therapy.
It took more than a year of tests, referrals, and persistent advocacy for Grayson by his parents for the Campos’ to get a diagnosis for their son. In June 2019, tests identified a rare chromosomal anomaly in Grayson’s blood.
Since March, the Campos family has made multiple trips to Denver for four different types of medical appointments, and now has regular appointments with a specialist in Fruita. That much travel put a dent in the family finances, and Horizons helped again with their family support program.
Last year Horizons was able to reimburse eight families for $6,858 in medical-related expenses for their children, Grimes said.
“These wonderful people have never made us feel like a number,” Brittny said of the Horizons team. “They always made us feel loved.”
Brittny encourages other parents to, “take time to talk with your pediatrician or general doctor if you have any concerns. They care about you and your kiddos.”
If you have any questions of concerns about your child’s development, please contact Sarah Grimes at [email protected] or 541-670-8415.
