A special kid, a dedicated
companion
College student is helping 8-year-old autistic child reach
her potential
Staten Island Advance
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
When Kathleen Gilhooley looks at a special-needs
child like Julie Tomes, what she sees first is not the disability.
"I think of their potential," said Kathleen, a
College of Staten Island sophomore from New Springville who hopes to
major in special education. "They have such big hearts, every one of
them. They are so sweet."
Kathleen's upbeat attitude has been a blessing for
8-year-old Julie, and her parents, Bob and Mary Tomes of Tottenville,
who have come to depend on Kathleen to help care for their autistic
daughter -- and see her as a member of their extended family.
They have also come to rely on Kathleen to help
assist with their eldest daughter, Christine, 14, who has Rett
syndrome, a progressive neurological disorder that is often
misdiagnosed as autism.
'WONDERFUL WITH HER'
"Kathy is a big part of Julie's life," said Bob
Tomes, a history professor at St. John's University. "She has helped
potty train Julie and gives special attention to routines, like
feeding. In the nice weather, they will go for walks together or go
bicycling, with Julie on the bicycle and Kathy on foot. They will go
on trips to the Mall or to eat at Wendy's or on picnics. She is
wonderful with her."
Kathleen, 19, knew at an early age that she wanted
to work with special-needs kids. For one thing, she has been
involved in charitable pursuits benefiting children since she was a
child herself, through the volunteer efforts of her parents, Deborah
and Joseph, who have held leadership posts at Father Drumgoole
Council, Knights of Columbus, Richmond.
"I loved helping out at the Special Olympics and the
Christmas dinners," said Kathleen, who began volunteering when she
was a fifth-grader at St. Patrick's School, Richmond. "It always was
important to me and it always meant a lot to me. I have a cousin who
has Down syndrome and an aunt who is mentally retarded, so I have
been around this all my life. It is natural to me."
So natural that when Kathleen was a student at Moore
Catholic High School, and the Rev. Robert Gannon asked her if she
would be interested in taking on a special assignment with the Tomes
family, she readily agreed.
"I knew that what Bob and Mary Tomes were looking
for, for Julie, was not a baby-sitter," explained Father Gannon, a
guidance counselor at Moore. "They needed someone different, someone
unique. I went through the whole list of senior girls, and Kathleen
was the one who stood out to me. There was a spark in her eye and I
knew she wanted to work with special-needs children as a teacher.
She understood right away how important this was. What a blessing it
has turned out to be for Julie. And what a blessing for Kathleen,
because this is what Kathleen wants to do. She turned a
short-term job into a three-year commitment."
So dedicated is Kathleen that she recently
encouraged folks at the Drumgoole Council, including Columbiettes
Ladies Auxiliary president MaryAnn Tringali and her husband,
Dominick Tringali, to consider holding a fund-raiser to benefit Rett
syndrome, and the current research on a possible link between Rett's
and autism.
The Tringalis didn't hesitate and are chairing a
charity ball on Feb. 28 at the South Shore Country Club, Huguenot,
which will benefit children with Rett syndrome and Cooley's Anemia.
The Drumgoole Council has already raised $3,500, earmarked for
Rett's.
(Tickets for the ball, which begins at 7:30 p.m.,
are $75 per person. For more information, call Mrs. Tringali at
718-317-7901 or Mr. Gilhooley at 718-983-1292.)
"Working with Julie means a lot to me," said
Kathleen, who spends 20 hours each weekend with the Tomes family.
"We work on behavior modification therapy, which she is learning
from a therapist. We do things involving daily living skills and
motor skills, like how to hold a fork, how to brush her hair. We
will do it hand-over-hand, repeating each motion. You do have to
have patience. When she gets frustrated, we take a break and do
something fun, like read a book. Then we'll go back to it. And when
she accomplishes it, she will get big, big smile on her face. That's
the best."
by Judy L. Randall
Reprinted here with permission from the
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