WINFIELD -- Ashley Brubaker knows first-hand the struggles of living with autism and cerebral palsy, as well as the grueling routine trips to the hospital for treatment and therapy.
The 21-year-old Winfield woman has also seen the positive impact health care professionals can have, especially those who have helped her prove doctors wrong by graduating high school two years ago after being told as a toddler she would never attend school at all.
Since then, Brubaker has kept busy by giving back to the cause that has helped her so much by raising more than $25,000 over the past four years for the Children's Miracle Network, which helps support Geisinger's Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Danville.
Brubaker raised $10,800 last year alone through her silent auction during the "94KX Cares for Kids" Radiothon that benefits the children's network. Brubaker's reason for her new-found passion is simple.
"I do it to help the kids," Brubaker said through her augmentative alternative communication device. "Geisinger helped me work on my speech and muscles (physical and occupational therapy)."
Because of her devoted fundraising, Brubaker will be honored tonight by the Philadelphia Flyers as a Community Teammate during the hockey team's celebration of Autism Awareness Night for their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Brubaker will be introduced to the crowd during the first and second television time outs, which will prompt a slideshow of photos from her silent auction in August. She will also be presented an authentic Flyers jersey during a ceremony on the ice and get to watch the game from a private suite.
"This will be part of our annual event of different awareness nights throughout the season," said Shauna Adams, a Flyers publicist. "Ashley was recommended to us by one of the organizations she has helped through all of the work she has done."
Among other organizations Brubaker has helped include Mostly Mutts and the American Red Cross. Brubaker also helped to organize the local Trail of Treats at the Country Cupboard Best Western in Lewisburg, where up to 350 children with mobility problems got a chance to trick-or-treat.
It's the work Brubaker has done for the Children's Miracle Network that brings out the biggest smile from her, as well as from Bonnie Tharp, children's network coordinator.
"She has everything imaginable to be bid on -- celebrity items, sports items, gift certificates, show certificates, clothing, furniture, etc.," Tharp said of Brubaker's auction. "She is a huge inspiration to all of us at Children's Miracle Network with her fundraising initiatives. Some of the money she has raised was earmarked for the Child Life Program in the Janet Weis Children's Hospital. This program includes pet therapy, as well as a dinner and a movie for all inpatient children."
Brubaker's excitement for tonight's hockey game is evident by her new Flyers hat, which she is still breaking in. Looking ahead to her big night on the ice, Brubaker says she feels, "awesome."
n E-mail comments to jnorth@dailyitem.com.
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