Meet Emily Shanahan

Emily Shanahan is a 2007 Graduate of West Carrollton High School in Ohio. Emily's favorite subjects are history and spanish! Emily is currently attending classes as a sophomore at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio. She will major in either Communications or Pre-Law with minors in Spanish and Bible. Emily has cerebral palsy which allows her the unique opportunity to drive a power wheelchair for daily mobility made by Permobil. She enjoys reading, spending time with friends, spending hours at Barnes and Nobles, swimming, outings in her Duet bike, riding horses, and Harley Davidson motorcycles. In August 2005, Emily participated in the National Young Leadership Conference (NYLC) in Washington D.C. In August 2006, Emily took in the next phase of the leadership series Global Youth Leadership Conference (GLYC) in both Washington D.C. and New York. In October 2005, Emily was selected as Closing Keynote Speaker for JrNYLC for 300 middle school students back in Washington D.C. Emily started modeling at the age of 3, acting at the age of 7, and co-authored a chapter in a book at age 11. Emily is currently working with Roof-Goenner Talent Agency . She has been active in student council and mentored a 10 year old girl with Down syndrome. She also had the privilege of meeting and praying with President Bush at the White House.

Extra! Extra! Read the latest news!

See the parent's files and the latest news about what is going on with the Shanahan family!

The P-Files!

Ceiling Lift System Project at Cedarville University

We are adding ceiling lift systems to dorm rooms. Help us give deserving students a lift!

With God's leadership and Emily's Achievement Council, our family is using our 20+ years of experience with durable medical equipment to help install ceiling lift systems in Cedarville University dorm rooms where students with limited mobility need help getting out of bed, into their wheelchair, on the commode or in a shower chair. We are happy to report that we have achieved this goal for Emily's room and are already on our way to providing for a lift system for Dan Knudsen's room on campus. The Liko ceiling lift will be installed in Willet Hall, on October 16th, by New Visions Medical Equipment. Watch this space for photos of the installed lift and other details. Also at that time an estimate will be done for Dan's room.

Thank you to Dr. Carl Ruby for embracing the vision God had given our family for Emily's education experience on the campus of Cedarville University. As a University and a family we worked as a team to pioneer a supportive environment with excellence for students living with disabilities on campus. Incoming students will be able to arrive on campus in a supportive environment and have the ability to obtain a University education. To our knowledge CU is the only University to go above and beyond ADA regulations caring for the physical needs of it's students who need special accomodations like attached bathrooms with roll-in shower stalls, and ceiling lifts. Please help support them in this venture.

Thank-you to Joerns Healthcare Company for donating two electric adjustable hospital bed frames with supportive theraputic air matteresses. Technology opens the door for those who live with daily challenges.

It's our hope that other students with mobility challenges will be able to come to Cedarville University and use these rooms after the current studens have graduated.

This not only benefits the students who are differently abled, but also those who care for them. It's much easier on caregivers when they have a ceiling lift system to use instead of a floor lift system. And ceiling lift systems take up ZERO floor space; you KNOW how important THAT is in a dorm room.

The funding status of the ceiling lifts.

We have met our goal with Emily's room!

We still have to get the final estimate on Dan's room! That's coming after the October 16th install.

Below is a form you can print off, cut out and use to make donations, if you want and are able. The donations are tax deductable, since it is going to a capital improvement at Cedarville University .

You can also click on this link www.cedarville.edu/donors and make a donation on-line if you wish. There may be a place to note where you want to apply your donation. You might have another campus project where you would prefer to apply your donation.

Emily's World

Joni and Friends Television Series

Click here to add a copy of Emily's World on DVD to your video library.

In the words of Joni Eareckson Tada : Meet Emily Shanahan - intelligent, enthusiastic, and passionate about her faith in Jesus Christ. Emily lives with the physical limitations of cerebral palsy, but there is certainly no limit to what God has accomplished in her life! Enter the world of this determined, yet unselfish, university student, and see how she has enriched the world of those who know her!

Thank you, Franklin Films , for being a joy to work with and producing a high quality final feature!

Thank you to both Joni and Franklin Films for accurately capturing Emily's story with excellence.

John 9:1-3 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

Operation Incoming Yellow Jacket

Meet Emily: A Crash Course

Cedarville University Incoming Yellow Jacket Dorm Room Project

Executive Summary

ABC: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Audition video: Shanahan Family (aka: Meet the Shanahan's)

ABC: American Broadcasting Company

55 Meg Windows Media Video file

www.murphyfamilyproductions.com

Special Wish Trip 2004

www.spwish.org

On April 2, 2004 Emily met President Bush at the White House

View a 10 Minute Slide Show of the Trip - 225 Meg

Read the April 7th, 2004 Dayton Daily News article about Emily's Special Wish trip to meet and pray with President George W. Bush in Washington D. C.

Listen to Emily's June 6th, 2004 KLOVE Radio interview about her Special Wish to Pray with President George W. Bush.

Emily's Dream Team

Dream Team details: Dream Team Flyer Cedarville U.doc

Emily's Achievement Council

Inception of Emily's Achievement Council: March 3, 2007

Proverbs 15:22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Margaret Mead said: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Mission Statement:

Our goal as a family and for the Emily Achievement Council is to meet once a year and address any changes to our "Letter of Intent" and verbally hit highlights for the next 6 months, 1 year and 5 years of Emily's life. We are not asking for money or any action to be taken, but to just become familiar with what we deal with on a daily basis in Emily's life.

Another goal would be continuity in Emily's life. Just in case something would happen to her parents, Emily's daily life would continue to move forward with excellence in our absence. Grief would not overwhelm Emily, since we had planned for a moment such as this.

Emily's quality of life will be enhanced as a result of this counsel. As parents, we can be "too close" to her life and lack sound judgment. As a council, their wisdom and insights will help Emily feel as light on her wheels as possible during major life transitions this side of Heaven.

West Carrollton School District taught us the importance of team meetings, long range planning and goal setting for Emily's bright future as a young adult pursing her education, a career and living independently.

This council exists so that Emily can continue to soar and feel as light on her wheels as possible during periods of transition and adverse times this side of Heaven.

A long term goal for the EAC is to serve as a model for other families living with long term special needs in these complicated times.

Emily turned 18 in August of 2006 and more governmental agencies have been put in place for Emily's benefit. These agencies (though important) do not address her personal needs like access to relationships (Family, Friends and Church) recreation, emotional health, personal financial planning, private transportation, education, career and spiritual needs.

God has given us the Emily Achievement Council concept as a means of something sound, big and very foundational for Emily's exciting future. Life is relationships! Communication is so vital to us all. Our hope is that as you spend time with our family, your family will be blessed beyond measure.

BONUS: A must read book recommendation by The Shanahan Family: Dangerous Surrender by Kay Warren.

Ricky (Breed: Shih-Tzu)

A Little Boy In A White Fur Coat

Ricky is the family dog and is an excellent model.

Emily is also in a Joni And Friends Minsitries Newsletter:

Emily and Dad Tubing at the 1999 Joni Eareckson Tada Family Retreat

Emily coauthored a chapter with Joni!

Read Emily's Chapter in Joni Eareckson Tada's book: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Faith

The cover, flyleafs and all the pages of chapter 4 are included.

www.joniandfriends.org

Joni and Friends Family Retreats

Emily and Joni were interviewed

by Chad Bresson of the CDR Radio Network of Cedarville University while at a Joni and Friends Family Retreat at Shawnee Resort on July 5th of 2006. You can listen in to the streaming recording of the interview or download the WMA file. Pour yourself a cup of coffee, listen to the interview and click on the pictures. ENJOY! Psalm 34:8a Taste and See that the Lord is Good!

JrNYLC Keynote Closing Speaker

Emily wrote Let's Do It! as part of the selection process for becoming the Jr NYLC (National Young Leaders Conference) Keynote Closing Speaker.

Read her Keynote Closing Speach given in Washington, DC on October 5, 2005.

Emily was in two weddings!


Brian and Molly Harriman November 2001.	Angie and Jon Williamson June 2004.

Emily's Lifting Systems

See Emily's new Presence power patient floor Lift from Joerns Healthcare (www.joerns.com) that she uses while traveling away from home. The patient lift folds flat for easy portablilty for transportation and makes living away from home for travel and visiting family/friends a possibility! The Presence power floor lift can serve as a backup should her in home Guldmann Ceiling Lift system experience failure. See the brochure on the floor lift.

Emily's Guldmann (www.guldmann.com) Ceiling Lift System was installed by Ed Homan, owner of New Visions Medical (www.newvisionsmedical.com) in Coldwater, Ohio. The last picture shows the switch on the ceiling that selects the bathroom or living room from her bedroom.

Kids On Wheels

Emily is in the November 2004 Kids on Wheels!

www.kidsonwheels.us

El Meson

(The Inn)

www.elmeson.net

El Meson is a restaurant here in West Carrollton that is excellent! Bill Castro is the proprieter and is wonderful. Check out the pictures and visit his web site (and eat at his place!) you WON'T be sorry. In fact, you will be delighted!

1800wheelchair

Emily is sitting in her new 12 inch Expedition aluminum transport chair provided by 1800wheelchair. The Transport chair folds for easy storage in the trunk of a car which affords Emily the independence to travel in a regular car with her friends.

www.1800Wheelchair.com

Date Nights With Dad

In 1993 Dad started taking Emily out on dates. In 2001 Dad gave Emily a Promise Ring on her 13th birthday. Every Friday night you will find Dad and Emily out on a date. Tom decided to do this with Emily to model what a proper date would be like and to make a statement of value on their relationship. Emily knows that no matter how busy Dad is during the week, Friday night she has him all to herself.

Now that Emily is at Cedarville University , Dad picks Em up for a date on Saturday to make it to an evening church service and a nice dinner out.