CHAMPAIGN — Zoe and Alexandria Johnson were born early, tiny twin blessings to their parents.

But they didn't develop the same.

At first both girls met the milestones babies normally meet, but then Zoe began to show signs of developmental delays. And by the time she was a year old, a neurologist diagnosed her with cerebral palsy.

Now age 3, Zoe has benefited much from the therapies and support of Developmental Services Center, says her mother, Kinetta Johnson, who with her husband, Matthew, and the rest of their family will help kick off DSC's annual Tree of Hope campaign this morning.

The Johnsons, of Champaign, were selected to be the "spokesfamily" for this year's campaign, which serves as the Champaign agency's largest fundraiser of the year.

DSC provides a range of services for nearly 1,300 people with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, autism, cognitive disabilities, Down syndrome and other disabling conditions.

The agency is striving to raise $125,000 this year, $25,000 more than last year, according to its Director of Development Janice McAteer.

The Johnsons were living in Florida when the twins were born, and Kinetta Johnson said some of the early signs she and her husband noticed about Zoe that concerned them were her tendency to lie still, the way her body was "kind of flopsy," and the way her body would tend to stiffen when she was held.

"I'd think that is not normal," Johnson recalls.

They followed their pediatrician's advice for a time and waited, then got a second opinion from another pediatrician who suspected cerebral palsy, a diagnosis that was confirmed some months later by a pediatric neurologist, Johnson said.

She remembers feeling gripped with fear and anxiety. Would their daughter ever walk? How would this affect her intellectual development and how would they help her, she remembers thinking.

Johnson said she and her husband have relied on their Christian faith, trusted God and taken it one step at a time. In the summer of 2010, Matthew Johnson, an Air Force captain, enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of Illinois, and the family moved to Champaign.

The Johnsons enrolled Zoe in the state's Early Intervention program to continue the therapies she'd begun in Florida, and then they were referred to DSC. And ever since then, Zoe's progress has taken off, Kinetta Johnson says.

A DSC therapist has come to their home and taught her to use a walker and get around the house independently. The therapist brought her a vest that helps keep her core aligned. The family has also gotten advice on adapting their home environment for Zoe and creating a good play area for her.

"Now her core is incredibly stronger. She walks with incredibly less slithering. Now she loves to run down ramps with her walker. She has a lot more stamina when we go out for walks. She can walk close to a quarter of a mile without help," Johnson says.

Zoe can accompany her shopping now without having to ride in a cart, and can even ride a tricycle, Johnson says.

More promising news: Zoe can stand independently with her leg braces for two minutes and has figured out how to walk with her braces for 3 to 5 feet, Johnson said.

Beyond that, Zoe has developed into a child who is playful, loving, sweet and motherly to her siblings, Johnson says.

"We are so grateful to DSC, and we wouldn't be as far as we are without their help," she says.

Each gift given from Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 helps light the tree placed on the corner of Prospect Avenue and Marketview Drive in Champaign. Each bulb lit represents $50 in contributions.

McAteer said DSC's need grows every year, and at best the agency's budget stays stagnant. Meanwhile, the state isn't paying its bills, posing cash flow problems. The state currently owes DSC $1.8 million, she said.

"I'd like to say we are always holding our breath, is what it boils down to," she said.

Every dollar raised goes toward providing services, McAteer said.

To make a contribution, see the DSC website at http://www.dsc-illinois.org or call 356-9176.

This story appeared in print on Oct. 30.