There’s a dinner set for tonight at the First Ripon Christian Reformed Church that promises to change a toddler’s life for the better by raising funds in support of a special physical therapy series of sessions to help fight her MS.

Four-year-old Hope Van Der Maaten showed definite progress in her first session in Southern California near Los Angeles International Airport.  The little girl has been the focus of an internet Go Fund Me online campaign that has already collected money to help her and her mother go to the Southland for several weeks of therapy.  Additional money is still needed for e future sessions next year.

Her mother, Jennifer, an RN at Doctors Hospital of Manteca adopted Hope after it was realized that her sister, the girl’s birth mother, wouldn’t be able to care for her because of her own MS.  She stood up against the thought of the little girl having to go into foster care.  Jennifer has two grown sons, 17 and 22, in addition to Hope.

The deacons of the church are supporting the fund raising dinner for the mom and daughter tonight from 5 until 7 p.m. Monetary donations will be accepted at the door for the meals with all monies collected going to directly to Jen and Hope’s trip to LA in October.

While in Los Angeles,  Hope will again participate in another three weeks of a strenuous physical therapy with the promise of her being able to walk without using her walking sticks or walker in the future.  The church is located at 305 Boesch Drive in Ripon.

The dinner will include lasagna, salad, bread and dessert and a lot of love.