Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We couldn't find. CAA Story #5 Kim Rains
DeAnna Pursai • March 23, 2026
Kimberly was born in May 1978. She was a beautiful baby but something seemed off so testing was done and it was determined that she had Down syndrome. Testing also revealed she had a heart defect with a hole between chambers and a valve that didn’t work properly. This was all new to us.
She was doing well so doctors decided to wait to let her grow bigger before doing heart surgery to repair the defects. We waited about 3 years and finally had open heart surgery at Stanford Children’s Hospital. The heart surgery went well but there was scaring below the vocal cords in her air way which required a Tracheostomy Tube below her vocal cords to allow outside air to & from her lungs. The Trach tube required suctioning to remove mucus from her airway and her lungs.
But as Kim grew and made friends in the neighborhood and at early intervention school she learned she loved to dance and perform for the family and for an audience. She thrived when dancing in class, when practicing and when performing. She was a regular dancer at the Alice Porter Dance Studio in San Jose.
She taught us, her parents, what she could do. We never said “you can’t” or “You won’t”. I would urge parents to use positive words when speaking to their children. She learned sign language to help communicating with others and her teacher. She learned to cover her trach with her finger to force air through her vocal cords to speak out loud.
When teaching Kim how to ride a two wheeled bike she had difficulty with balancing. We tried everyday for a long period of time. We eventually found a three wheeled recumbent bicycle. She could ride that bike right away, and loved it.
With her medical issues, we ended up with a trip to see a specialist in Salt Lake City, Utah and several trips to Cincinnati, Ohio.
Dr. John Langdon Haydon Down (1828 – 1896) was a British physician well known for his work & description of the genetic condition “Down syndrome” which he originally classified in 1862. He is also known for his work in social medicine and as a pioneer in the care of mentally disabled patients. It is too bad he didn’t have a different last name or a different way to identify the syndrome. For many of our children there is so much more “Up” and not so much “Down”.
Kim joined several dance classes and used sign language for the church choir.
Once we discovered College of Adaptive Arts there were several classes Kim wanted to take part in. She loved her new friends and brought several existing friends to join her in classes. She thrived in dancing, acting, practicing and learning new things. She led practice sessions at various times in several classes.
The College of Adaptive Arts has been a great resource for Kimberly and for us to help and enable Kim to learn, grow and thrive in many areas. She loved to perform in public and on stage. CAA offers many types of learning scenarios and learning environments.
It can be good to consider which classes are available and join those that could turn out great for your child. The sky is the limit. The College of Adaptive Arts is a lifelong learning environment.
Thank you to Pam and DeAnna for your vision and for your follow-through. Thank you to all the current leaders for their work and dedication.
CAA has been a blessing to us in so many ways.
She was doing well so doctors decided to wait to let her grow bigger before doing heart surgery to repair the defects. We waited about 3 years and finally had open heart surgery at Stanford Children’s Hospital. The heart surgery went well but there was scaring below the vocal cords in her air way which required a Tracheostomy Tube below her vocal cords to allow outside air to & from her lungs. The Trach tube required suctioning to remove mucus from her airway and her lungs.
But as Kim grew and made friends in the neighborhood and at early intervention school she learned she loved to dance and perform for the family and for an audience. She thrived when dancing in class, when practicing and when performing. She was a regular dancer at the Alice Porter Dance Studio in San Jose.
She taught us, her parents, what she could do. We never said “you can’t” or “You won’t”. I would urge parents to use positive words when speaking to their children. She learned sign language to help communicating with others and her teacher. She learned to cover her trach with her finger to force air through her vocal cords to speak out loud.
When teaching Kim how to ride a two wheeled bike she had difficulty with balancing. We tried everyday for a long period of time. We eventually found a three wheeled recumbent bicycle. She could ride that bike right away, and loved it.
With her medical issues, we ended up with a trip to see a specialist in Salt Lake City, Utah and several trips to Cincinnati, Ohio.
Dr. John Langdon Haydon Down (1828 – 1896) was a British physician well known for his work & description of the genetic condition “Down syndrome” which he originally classified in 1862. He is also known for his work in social medicine and as a pioneer in the care of mentally disabled patients. It is too bad he didn’t have a different last name or a different way to identify the syndrome. For many of our children there is so much more “Up” and not so much “Down”.
Kim joined several dance classes and used sign language for the church choir.
Once we discovered College of Adaptive Arts there were several classes Kim wanted to take part in. She loved her new friends and brought several existing friends to join her in classes. She thrived in dancing, acting, practicing and learning new things. She led practice sessions at various times in several classes.
The College of Adaptive Arts has been a great resource for Kimberly and for us to help and enable Kim to learn, grow and thrive in many areas. She loved to perform in public and on stage. CAA offers many types of learning scenarios and learning environments.
It can be good to consider which classes are available and join those that could turn out great for your child. The sky is the limit. The College of Adaptive Arts is a lifelong learning environment.
Thank you to Pam and DeAnna for your vision and for your follow-through. Thank you to all the current leaders for their work and dedication.
CAA has been a blessing to us in so many ways.
When Professor Eliza Riley first got involved at CAA, it was very different from what it is today. In fact, she has been part of the community ever since the founding in 2009. Over the years, she has watched the CAA community grow, evolve, and continue creating a place where people can express themselves freely and confidently. Long before she began teaching, Professor Eliza served on CAA’s board, helping with fundraising efforts and supporting the community however she could. At the time, she never imagined that one day she would sign up to be a teacher. But with encouragement from her fellow board members, she eventually found her place as a professor. Today, she helps teach two acting classes, and loves sharing the uniqueness of theater with students each week. Professor Eliza fell in love with the performing arts because it gives the performer the freedom to become anyone that they want on stage. For Professor Eliza, theater is a place where she feels like her labels and limitations disappear. She says that when she is performing, her rare disease and the wheelchair no longer defines who she is. Outside the classroom, Professor Eliza is known for bringing warmth and a calming energy to those around her. She often used to bring her dog to classes because his presence helped her stay relaxed and grounded. Although her dog is getting older now and she does not bring him in as often, everyone still asks how he is and why he isn’t in class. After so many years with CAA, Professor Eliza continues to be an important part of its story. From board member to teacher, mentor, and longtime community member, her journey reflects what CAA is all about: finding belonging, confidence, and joy through the arts. — Written by Nina Pal Volunteer
Jeffrey is an amazing student working on his CAA undergraduate diploma.
Professor Laura is a graduate from SJSU with a degree in Dance.
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