Hunter’s Story: Small Steps, Powerful Progress

Sometimes, progress isn’t measured in steps taken across a room, but in the strength of a grip or the coordination of two hands working together. For pediatric patient Hunter Benson, those small movements represent resilience, determination, and nearly a decade of dedicated care at Allied Services.

“We're trying to get him to use both of his hands together, trying to get him to work on the grip strength,” said Joe Schuster, occupational therapist at Allied Services.

Hunter began his journey at the John P. Moses, Esq. Pediatric Rehab Center almost 10 years ago. What initially brought him to Allied was speech therapy - but it didn’t take long for his care team to recognize that something more might be going on. During early evaluations, Allied clinicians noticed physical signs that prompted further assessment and follow-up.

“Originally, we started coming for speech therapy, having no idea there was really something more going on,” said Lorena Benson, Hunter’s mother. “Then when he had his physical therapy evaluation with Janine, she noticed some red flags. She made calls to the doctor, and that’s when we eventually found out Hunter had Duchenne muscular dystrophy.”

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare, genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. It most often affects young boys and gradually impacts muscles throughout the body, including those needed for walking, breathing, and everyday activities. While there is no cure, early diagnosis and ongoing therapy play a critical role in maintaining strength, mobility, and independence for as long as possible.

Since that first visit, Hunter has been coming to Allied weekly, participating in therapy sessions that may look like play to someone just watching - but each activity is carefully designed with purpose. His care team focuses on preserving strength, encouraging movement, and supporting functional independence.

“Keep him as strong as possible, keep as much movement as possible because it's important that he keeps these things as long as he can,” Schuster said. “The idea is to keep them as strong as possible for as long as possible.”

Though Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive condition, Hunter’s mom credits Allied Services with helping her son continue to communicate, move, and thrive in ways she once feared might not be possible.

“I don't know that we'd be talking. I don't know that we'd be moving around so well,” Benson said. “If it wasn't for his therapy team kind of figuring out what was going on, that really made a big difference. I think we definitely would have been in a different place without Allied.”

At Allied Services, stories like Hunter’s reflect the power of early intervention, expert pediatric care, and a team that looks beyond diagnoses to see the whole child. Every small victory matters - and for Hunter, those victories continue to add up.

To learn more about Pediatric Therapy Services click here.