Expertise

A Modern-Day Miracle Worker Celebrated for Her Evolving and Empathetic Care

“Alone we can do little, together we can do much.” This well-known quote from Helen Keller has no doubt moved many. But for McKisha Davis, Helen and Anne Sullivan’s legacy also changed the trajectory of her life. It also inspired a career helping and advocating for those with physical and mental disabilities whose voice is often silenced.

McKisha enrolled in sign language classes and voluntarily transferred from a leadership position to specifically work with Maya, a member with deafblindness and cerebral palsy. Inspired by Helen Keller’s teacher Annie Sullivan, she strives everyday to give Maya the care she would want for her own family.

McKisha is one of more than 400 compassionate direct service professionals (DSPs) at Envision Unlimited who support our 3,000 members and caregivers year-round. Every day, every time, McKisha and her peers are committed to serving individuals with intellectual, developmental and psychiatric disabilities. They serve as mentors and coaches for members in our group homes (CILAs), day centers, mental health facilities and their own homes to support members, keep them safe, encourage them to be more independent, and help them reach their highest potential.

To prepare for her role as Maya’s caregiver, McKisha also worked closely with Maya’s mother to get to know Maya’s likes and dislikes, going above and beyond her role assisting with daily living activities such as bathing and dressing, shopping, laundry, and cooking. DSPs also accompany members on appointments and make commuting arrangements. They are trained to administer medications, take vital signs, and monitor overall member well-being.

“We have some members with limited or no language skills, so we are their voice,” said Donna Ennis, Vice President of Community Living, Home Based, and In-Home Respite Services.

Maya’s mother, Faye Manaster, shared: “McKisha definitely stands out as a DSP who is dedicated to supporting people in her care. She’s responsible, reliable, and a good problem solver. She continues to learn and improve her sign language skills independently, which is an absolute necessity to communicate effectively with my daughter.”

McKisha was spotlighted by Envision Unlimited during DSP Appreciation Week for the work she says has created “great rewards for me personally.”

Since childhood, she has been inspired by the care Anne Sullivan gave to Helen Keller. “Their story made me want to take sign language classes and to specifically work with Maya,” she said. “Maya has changed my life.”