Variety Kid Lars has been diagnosed with multiple disabilities, including cerebral palsy, a hearing impairment and other genetic and muscular disorders. From the time he was born, doctors said it was likely he would never walk, talk or even eat on his own.

Now, he has beaten the odds. Variety's TherHappy Kids program has made it possible for Lars to do all of this and more, thanks to the generous support of people like you.

If you provide a child with special needs with equipment, but don't pair it up with the therapy to get the most out of that equipment, the work isn't finished.

Maria has a motor speech disorder called apraxia that disrupts the messages her brain sends to her lips, jaws, and tongue to form sounds, syllables, and words. Words like Maria.

You see, Maria can't say her own name. Yet. Her parents are determined to get her to that day and say she's determined, also. And Maria is making good progress, thanks to her involvement in Variety's TherHappy kids program.