Jalissa was born with Usher syndrome, causing her to be born deaf and require bilateral cochlear implants. She will also begin to lose her eye sight and will probably be legally blind by the time she is an adult. Jalissa has worked hard to overcome her balance issues and has even learned to ride a two-wheel bike this past summer. Jalissa loves to play Barbies with her siblings and loves to go swimming and play in the water, pretending to be a mermaid. In fact, Jalissa wants to be a mermaid when she grows up! Jalissa’s dream is to have an above-ground swimming pool of her own to fill her summers with endless amounts of joy as she learns to swim and spend time with her siblings splashing in the water.