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Love Of Dance Helps Girl With Rare Syndrome Go Home For The Holidays

BOSTON (CBS) - She's a girl with a million dollar smile and a very hard road ahead of her, but she's going home for Thanksgiving. The 10-year-old from Springfield suffers from an extremely rare syndrome that affects her brain. But after nearly four months of intense therapy, Asia is going home for the holidays.

Five months ago, Asia Gamble was a happy, active, normal kid. Then, for a reason that remains a mystery, the part of her brain that controls coordination became inflamed, and everything changed.

She lost the ability to walk, talk and take care of herself. Since August she's been at Franciscan Children's Hospital in Brighton.

Asia Gamble
Asia Gamble (WBZ-TV)

"They've been working her really hard to build up her muscles strength and her speech," her mother, Rashida Gamble told WBZ-TV. Therapists used Asia's love of dance to help her regain some movement, even becoming "backup" dancers to encourage her.

Asia is now well enough to go home in time for Thanksgiving. The hospital held a dance party today to wish her well. "It's fun," says Asia.

"She's looking forward to her mom's macaroni and cheese, and I think she's just looking forward to being back with her family," says Ashley Weaver, a dance movement therapist who worked with Asia at the hospital.

Asia will continue intense therapy as an outpatient, close to her Springfield home. "I expect she'll continue to make progress. She just has a tremendous spirit and a really positive attitude, and she'll take that with her and go from there," says Dr. Elisabeth Schainker, a pediatrician at Franciscan Children's who took care of Asia.

"We're very happy that she's coming home right before the holidays. She still has a long way to go, but I'm praying she'll make a recovery," says Asia's mother.

Asia also hopes she can get back to school where she's in the fourth grade.

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