Collin Milhous
“When I learned about The Perfect Step, I knew that if it were possible to regain my strength and some increased mobility, this was the place. I am so grateful to the Be Perfect Foundation for the generous scholarship to attend TPS.Thank you to everyone who has donated to Be Perfect. Your generosity is not only very much appreciated but also life changing. I am already feeling stronger physically and emotionally since attending TPS. ”
Hello there, I’m Collin Milhous. I have Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia type 11 which is an ALS related disease. Back in high school my best friend said, “I think you’re getting what your brother has.” That’s when I realized my gait was changing. My parents had noticed it, too. My brother, James, had been diagnosed a few years earlier. My parents had me tested also at that time, and genetic testing showed that I had the same mutation which causes SPG11. It is a very rare, recessive neurological disease. There was only a 25% chance that either my brother or myself would get it. In 2010, my family knew I would soon begin experiencing the same symptoms my brother was facing. The onset happened about three years later.
After high school, I attended Citrus College where I earned my A.S. Degree. This was a very difficult and frustrating time for me. My Spastic Paraplegia was rapidly progressing, and I was in constant pain whenever I tried to walk. Many times I thought I would never make it through college. I felt like physical therapy wasn’t helping anymore, and I knew that I would no longer be able to walk. It was very depressing.
I managed to persevere and was awarded an academic scholarship to Azusa Pacific University where I earned a degree in Graphic Design in 2021. I was very proud to graduate Magna Cum Laude. It was not easy, especially when most of my time at APU was online due to the Pandemic, but I achieved my goal of earning my bachelor’s degree. However, spending so much time at home due to remote learning accelerated loss of mobility. By not transferring in and out of my wheelchair to the car, to a desk in the classroom day after day, I lost a lot more of my balance and ability to take a step or two without holding on to anything.
When I learned about The Perfect Step, I knew that if it were possible to regain my strength and some increased mobility, this was the place. I am so grateful to the Be Perfect Foundation for the generous scholarship to attend TPS. Thank you to everyone who has donated to Be Perfect. Your generosity is not only very much appreciated but also life changing. I am already feeling stronger physically and emotionally since attending TPS.
What is amazing about Be Perfect is that it is helping many of us right now. My family is involved with the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation which raises funds for research for better treatments and ultimately a cure. While we wait for a new therapy to be developed, the Be Perfect Foundation is helping us right now. Again, many thanks to all of the donors and the Hargrave family for your generosity.
