When four-year-old Chemmie--a sweet, blond-haired boy with a ready smile--entered Meshi three years ago, he could only lie on the floor. Stricken at birth by "Joubert Syndrome," a rare neurological disorder that severely affects balance, muscle control and cognitive ability, Chemmie could do little more than cry. He could barely move his limbs, and couldn't eat independently...

For severely disabled schoolchildren, the ability to speak can be a powerful boon. Yet giving these children the gift of communication is a grueling mission that demands skill, ingenuity, and infinite patience. For veteran Meshi Center speech therapist Esti Kushelevsky, the job is her passion and joy. “The hardest cases...