GRCC, Holland ministry partner to help student with rare condition

Mitchell Boatman, The Holland Sentinel
·2 min read

GRAND RAPIDS — An instructor from Grand Rapids Community College and a Holland ministry teamed up this holiday season to help a student with a rare genetic disorder.

Island Hines and GRCC instructor Julie Sizemore look at the quilt made for Island by Love Sews Ministry in Holland.
Island Hines and GRCC instructor Julie Sizemore look at the quilt made for Island by Love Sews Ministry in Holland.

Julie Sizemore, an instructor at GRCC’s Fratzke Early Childhood Learning Lab, worked with Love Sews Ministry in Holland to have a quilt made for Island Hines. The quilt will provide a warmer, safer commute to the ECLL for Hines, who was recently diagnosed with Cohen’s Syndrome, a genetic disorder characterized by diminished muscle tone.

Love Sews Ministry was established in 2013 and has since made more than 1,000 custom quilts for individuals facing challenging life circumstances. Julie Sizemore, an instructor at the ECLL, nominated Island to receive a Love Sews quilt.

Island Hines received a quilt from Love Sews Ministry in Holland after being nominated by an instructor at Grand Rapids Community College's Early Childhood Learning Lab.
Island Hines received a quilt from Love Sews Ministry in Holland after being nominated by an instructor at Grand Rapids Community College's Early Childhood Learning Lab.

Sizemore nominated Island to provide her a quilt for her wheelchair so she can be warm and safe on the bus or in the car. If Island wears a coat while being transported, the belts could be too loose and make crashes more dangerous.

“The Love Sews Ministry group did an amazing job on every detail of the quilt down to the princesses who have dark skin, like Island, and including her favorite character, Peppa Pig,” Sizemore stated. “Island and her family continue to inspire me, their joyful spirit, determination, and how they always work so hard to beat the odds are just a few of the ways.”

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Island’s mother Abriana Winters is a GRCC graduate, and her father Isaiah Hines is a current student.

Island Hines, her parents and GRCC instructor Julie Sizemore.
Island Hines, her parents and GRCC instructor Julie Sizemore.

Staff at the ECLL say Hine’s joyful spirit and determination are an inspiration and describe her as a “phenomenal individual.” Sizemore has worked with Island since she was 8 months old.

“This child has changed my life,” Sizemore stated. “She has changed who I am as a care teacher. She has changed how I support families when it comes to children with special needs.

“She has been the reason that I have built a network of early interventionists that has allowed me to help other children get needs met when they may not normally have qualified for early intervention.”

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelMitch.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: GRCC, Holland ministry partner to help student with rare condition