Individual Success Stories

To Chemo Brain and Back

A 7 year old battles back from high dose chemo

Stephen, now in 3rd grade, missed all of 1st grade receiving high dose chemotherapy for osteosarcoma, bone cancer. He has a titanium rod in his leg that requires three surgeries per year to adjust to his body growth. But don't expect Stephen to complain about the surgeries, the medications, any of it. He just wants to be a kid with time each day to play.

After chemo, Stephen's mom noticed what medical professionals call chemo brain -- a decline in cognitive skills brought on by the toxic effects of chemo. Stephen, previously a good student, was now spending hours on homework, his confidence was down and his teachers recommended a Special Education classroom.

Stephen's mom felt otherwise. That's when she came to us. She wanted to know if Fast ForWord could reverse the poisonous effects of chemotherapy. Our center director, Tina Liberatore, was unsure at first. She had seen Fast ForWord work in a wide variety of cases and she was aware that it is being used with stroke patients and she was anxious to help. Stephen is remarkable young man who had already survived so much. Her advice was to not only to try it, but given the family's medical bills, we offered a scholarship.

Three months later, Stephen is thriving. According to his mother, Stephen is doing everything faster. His writing has picked up a lot. He has learned to love reading and his reading comprehension is much improved. His hearing teacher has noticed an amazing improvement. He is not quite as fast as his classmates, but is working five times faster than last year. His teachers have also noticed a positive shift in his confidence. By all accounts he is now singing down the hallway on his way to class.

By speeding up his auditory processing, Fast ForWord software has effectively slowed the world down for Stephen, making his day much more manageable said Michelle Reynard, Stephen' Program Director. We are exceedingly proud of the phenomenal progress he has made in just a few short months.

With less time needed for homework, Stephen now has more time to just play. There can be no greater cause for giving thanks this holiday season.
Learn more about auditory processing

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

A 9 year old conquers reading

Blaise went to a good school but he was falling further and further behind and now it was affecting his confidence. His mother could see a downward spiral starting. Then his school sent home a flyer about Gemm Learning and the possibilities of brain change. After a few months over the summer the results were amazing.

"It's like the invasion of the body snatchers. He's a different kid, brimming with confidence and reading much more comfortably she told us before school had started. Then on his first day back she called again. Brian had read out loud to his class and reading teacher. He got a standing ovation. The teachers and his peers were amazed at the difference."

(A year later) "I wanted to let you know Blaise made first honors. He had a 95.6 average. I can't even tell you how thankful I am to you and everyone at GEMM LEARNING. I remember the first day I walked into your office crying my eyes out hoping and praying for a miracle. I always said "it was like invasion of the body snatchers" Blaise is diligent and hard working and your program was the perfect fit. THANK YOU!!!!!!"
Learn about our dyslexia program

From Meningitis to College

Recovering from a coma

Mayra was once a student who excelled in almost everything she did. She was at the top of her class in college and played violin for the philharmonic. Mayra was an active volunteer, dedicated to her own education and to helping others.

But then her world fell apart. Mayra earned the opportunity to study in Spain, where she contracted Pneumococcal Meningitis - an infection that often leads to severe brain damage causing the loss of use of entire regions of the body. Mayra's case was no different. The doctors treating Mayra told her parents that she was clinically brain dead. Mayra lost all ability to see, speak and move and her parents had to re-teach her how to chew food, stand and walk. Every aspect of her life needed to be relearned.

After a year in the hospital, Mayra recovered some of her normal functions but her cognitive and auditory processing was still severely impaired. Her neurosurgeon told Mrs. Rodriguez the synaptic pathways in her brain had been severed. Basically, the information was still in Mayra's head but she could not access it.

About this time she found Gemm Learning. Medical bills were consuming the family and so Gemm offered to provide Mayra a scholarship for Fast ForWord.

Several months later, after participating in Fast ForWord software, as well as continuing her regular therapies, Mayra has made an astounding recovery. She is able to participate in conversation and has started reading again. Her mother is ecstatic about her recovery and is thrilled with how Gemm Learning and Fast ForWord has helped her daughter.

Incredibly, we are happy to report that Mayra now has a goal of returning to SUNY

Binghamton to become a lawyer. It's a stretch goal, but given her recent progress we think she will get there and we are proud to be part of her journey.

Out Of The Dark

A 28 year old dyslexic's story

Annemarie, 28, has struggled with reading her entire life. Her self confidence and overall school performance caused her to give up on her dreams of college. Upon leaving high school she has worked in retail without expecting to advance.

Before Gemm, Annemarie was having difficulties at work. She needed to listen to voice mail messages several times to hear the phone to understand the person's name. Her spelling was atrocious and her co-workers could not read or understand the messages.

Three weeks into her program with Gemm Learning Annemarie reported that she was no longer having trouble writing phone messages. In addition, she was better able to recognize her spelling errors. Annemarie told us, I feel like I am finally out of the dark. She now feels when she has her own children she will be able to help them learn to read.

Annemarie is now an avid reader. She has more confidence and is thinking about college. She hopes to work as a teacher or as an advocate for children with special needs.
Learn more about our program for adult dyslexia

Her First A

Premature birth, now on a fast track

Anne was under 2lbs when she was born, struggled from the start. But she wanted to like reading because her mother loved reading. They tried Sylvan and other things, but nothing got her where she needed to be. Last summer she took one last shot, and tried brain-change with Fast ForWord.

She has been rewarded. First, the school did its normal re-testing for special ed classes (Anne was in all of them) and she no longer qualified the teachers were stunned, retested, and again Anne tested in the average range. A few days later, Anne came home with her first A. Her mother called relatives all over the country and had a family party that night. Now Anne thinks she is a genius.

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The Right to Write

A newspaper article about a family of four children whose lives were changed by Fast ForWord. Read Right to Write

Willie Brown's story

A heart warming video about one Fast ForWord student, as told by Willie and everyone around him. Watch video.