Mom Puts Trust in Y

Jessica Mukavetz’s family has faced more than their share of challenges over the last few years. Thanks to the Carls Family YMCA’s caring staff and a scholarship from the Strong Kids Campaign, the Y has given them all a place to have fun and some much-neededpeace of mind amidst their challenges.

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Jessica Mukavetz is a mom of four whose family has had its share of challenges in the last few years. First, their daughter Aubrey was diagnosed with epilepsy; then, Jessica herself was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Jessica says she has found great peace of mind through their membership at the Carls Family YMCA in Milford. Rather than excluding Aubrey from activities because of her condition, Y staff looked for ways to get her involved. Everyone on the staff knows Aubrey and is aware of what to do if she has a seizure. “I worry less here than I do when she goes to school,” Jessica says. “I have a lot of faith in the people she’s with.”

All of her children have done activities at the Y, and she has even been able to exercise, feeling safe that her kids are well cared for.

Aubrey’s coach for both gymnastics and swimming is very attuned to her well-being, so much so that she’ll tell Jessica if Aubrey seems a little off so that Jessica knows to keep an eye out for impending seizures or other problems. “I feel that they are invested in her safety and her health,” Jessica says.

With both her diagnosis and Aubrey’s, the family has faced some steep medical bills; her husband’s income as a contractor also suffered from the recession. Thanks to the Strong Kids Campaign, though, her family has been able to continue their membership in the Y community that has embraced them.

“The Y has been a blessing,” Jessica says.