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5-year-old Joshua is one of three children in a Minnesota
family. He uses a power wheelchair to move himself around at school and
is working hard to learn to walk, presently walking while fully supported
in a gait trainer. He needed a piece of equipment for play and for gym
class at school, so his family requested Variety’s help purchasing
a specially adaptive bicycle. The bike would not only meet his recreational
needs, but also his need for exercise, increasing his leg strength and
allowing practice of reciprocal leg movements to improve gait. Variety
approved the request and Joshua now owns his very own bicycle specially
customized for his needs, allowing him to ride without help and maximize
his potential to walk independently.
3-year-old Nafissa’s primary means of mobility was a wheelchair that
had to be pushed by a caregiver. At 43 inches long and 54 pounds, she was
becoming too heavy for her mother to constantly transfer her in and out
of the wheelchair. The equipment itself was also cumbersome because of
its weight and the process of disassembling, transporting and then reassembling
the wheelchair. In order to make everyday errands and outings throughout
their hometown in North Carolina more comfortable for Nafissa and easier
for her mother, Variety provided the funds to purchase the family a special
stroller. Her mother says, “It is so much lighter and easier to transport
than her wheelchair, and it has made it much easier to take Nafissa out
on short trips and errands.” Thanks to her new stroller, Nafissa’s
horizons have expanded as she goes out to more places and is exposed to
environments outside her home and school more often. 
9-year-old Abby is Variety’s first mobility recipient in Arizona.
She is part of a family of six, with one more on the way. She attends physical
therapy, and while she was there in the fall, she had the opportunity to
ride a specially adaptive bike. Her therapist saw that the bike improved
her leg strength and endurance and recommended the family purchase a bike
for Abby. Supporting a family of six can be a monumental task, and paying
for a child’s therapy often means families incur many out of pocket
expenses that insurance just will not cover. That’s where Variety
stepped in by funding a custom-outfitted bicycle for Abby. The bicycle
is an excellent addition to Abby’s home therapy regimen. It will
improve her strength, range of motion and endurance. It will also enhance
her sense of independence and improve her social interaction as she joins
her sisters on their bike rides around the neighborhood.
8-year-old Arizona resident Vanessa requires maximum
assistance from two people when walking, but the new gait trainer purchased
for her by Variety allows her to walk with much better results. The gait
trainer provides necessary support and can serve as a means of mobility
at home and at school. It also provides positioning in standing for her;
standing is very important to prevent bone loss, respiratory infections,
skin breakdown and other complications. "This is a wonderful gift.
Not only will it help Vanessa's physical health, it will give her the
opportunity to be more active and involved. That's extremely important
to an eight-year-old," says Karen Curtis, Vanessa's pediatric physical
therapist.
Ryan came to the attention of Variety the Children's Charity of Pittsburgh and its Kids on the Go! Mobility Program through a letter from his mother, Debra. Ryan is blind, and this prevents him from participating in sports, playing games or many of the things other children his age do. Besides the social impact this has on him, it also keeps him from getting regular exercise. With the help of Ryan’s younger brother, Jake, who “would ride up front and ‘be Ryan's eyes,’” the adaptive bike allows Ryan to not only get outside and feel the wind in his face, but also to improve his quality of life by assisting him in getting regular exercise. What made this effort most worthwile was the very first thank you note sent to Variety's staff written in Braille.
Matthew is a very outgoing and energetic 12-year-old
from Ohio who loves adapted recreation. He learned
how to independently pedal and steer a specially-adapted bike while at
therapy to treat his spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy. Despite the
bike’s benefits
to improve his joint range of motion, strength, balance
and coordination, the family was unable to get the bike for their son
because of the expenses incurred due to having a child with disabilities.
Variety stepped in to provide the bicycle for Matthew just in time for
the holidays. His mother writes, “How can we begin to thank you
enough for your kind gift to Matthew? He looks forward to FINALLY being
able to participate in the annual ‘Pedal with Pete’ fundraiser
for kids with cerebral palsy. He’s never participated because he’s
never had a bike…until
now! Thanks for making Matthew’s dreams come true!"
Mikayla has the same sense of adventure as other 9-year-olds,
enjoying walks, trips to the park, hikes with her family, the beach, and
many other outdoor activities in her hometown of Seattle. But her rare
chromosome deletion means she has very low muscle tone and is easily fatigued,
making it difficult for her to participate in family activities. Her mother
began researching special needs strollers but found the cost overwhelming
for her family of seven, especially with her husband out of work due to
a severe injury. After being denied aid from her and her husband’s
insurance companies and two state agencies, Jodi found out about Variety
through her local Starlight Starbright office. She applied for a stroller
and was approved two weeks later. ‘The look on Mikayla’s
face when we pulled the stroller out of the box was beyond description,’ her
mother says. “There are not enough words to describe her excitement.
She was grinning from ear to ear.”
2-year-old Amare lives with his mother and 7-year-old
brother in North Carolina. Due to his cerebral palsy and other medical
issues, Amare was unable to walk independently before Variety provided
a posture-control walker, pelvic stabilizer and extensor assist pad for
him. The equipment helps him walk independently by improving alignment
and symmetry and providing additional hip extensor assistance. Amare’s
mother expressed her gratitude: “Thank you so much for the walker,
stabilizer and pad. Amare is making a lot of improvements.”
The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans
was immense for the city’s residents, and even more so for families
like 11-year-old LaToya and her mother. LaToya, who was just 9 years old
at the time, suffers from cerebral palsy with significant stiffness throughout
her body. She and her mother were forced to relocate to nearby Baton Rouge
because of the hurricane. During therapy sessions, LaToya had the opportunity
to try a specially-adapted bike. She was extremely excited and became
more active and verbal while practicing pedaling the bike. Upon hearing
about LaToya and how riding a bike would help improve her range of movement,
increase lower limb strength and encourage general exercise and social
activity, Variety stepped in to fund a specially-adapted bike of her very
own. After just a couple of months, LaToya’s therapist already sees
the benefits of LaToya regularly riding her bike.
At just 12 years old, Jarek has developed an outlook
on life and a level of wisdom that reach well beyond his pre-teen years.
Jarek believes in opening the door when opportunity knocks and he tries
to extract fun out of every experience. Most importantly, he does not
allow cerebral palsy to run his life. That attitude has garnered the happy,
enthusiastic Minnesota resident a very active life – he won a contest
that landed his artwork on the official 2006 greeting card for the Parent
Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights Center, he participates in sports
like water-skiing, wheelchair ice hockey, and basketball, and he has met
celebrities like Bo Derek and Michael Bolton. However, despite all of
his accomplishments, Jarek was unable to do something as simple as reaching
an object in a cupboard. Variety heard about this inspirational boy and
his need for a custom power-pack to elevate himself in his wheelchair,
and we stepped in to provide him with the equipment. Jarek is one step
closer to living as fully and independently as possible.
Variety of Colorado launched its mobility program by
presenting two well-deserving boys with bikes to
meet their special needs. 7-year-old
Emilio Herrera has Methylmalonic Acidemia (a metabolic
disorder) and received an adapted bike. His parents, Roberta and
Albert, were overwhelmed with emotion to see Emilio
on a bike of his own. Following
the presentation at UA Meadows 12 Theatres in Lone
Tree, CO, each of the recipients and their families
were treated to a movie courtesy of Regal Entertainment. Variety
of Colorado thanks the Anschutz Foundation for its
generous donation that funded the equipment for Emilio
and Candido (
Variety of Colorado launched its mobility program by
presenting two well-deserving boys with bikes to
meet their special needs. 11-year-old
Candido Estrada, who has Spina Bifida, received a
handcycle. Once
Candido got the hang of his new bike, no one could
slow him down. Following
the presentation at UA Meadows 12 Theatres in Lone
Tree, CO, each of the recipients and their families
were treated to a movie courtesy of Regal Entertainment. Variety
of Colorado thanks the Anschutz Foundation for its
generous donation that funded the equipment for Emilio
(
Logan, who was born three months premature, has cerebral palsy. The 4-year-old cannot communicate, nor can he walk, sit up, or crawl. At an age when most children chase one another around the preschool yard, he can only roll over. His mother, Kristy, struggled to take him places because his wheelchair was too heavy for her to lift into their vehicle.
Variety of Georgia officially launched its Mobility Program with the presentation of a specially outfitted bike to a little girl named Molly. Here are some comments from Molly's mother, Andrea: 
Winter Springs Elementary School in Florida is the only public elementary school endorsed by Seminole County for the instruction of physically and mentally impaired children. The school’s administration was unable to get grants or county funds to install a handicap door at the entrance of their building, thus limiting the mobility of their physically impaired students, like Abigail and Emily. These otherwise capable children could not run errands for their teachers or move freely through the school like other children because they could not maneuver their wheelchairs as needed or pull open a forty-pound door on their own. 
9-year-old Alyssa is the first Variety: Delaware Division child to be assisted through Direct Care for Kids, a last resort medical program for families in need that supplies necessary medical equipment to children whose insurance companies cannot provide coverage. Alyssa has cerebral palsy and her family had been seeking approval from insurance for an adapted bicycle for two years to no avail. This bike will serve as a means of physical therapy for her by allowing her to strengthen muscles. In addition, it allows her to partake in a recreational activity with her friends and siblings. This is Alyssa’s first bicycle!
At two months of age, Adriana was diagnosed with a very rare disorder known as Aicardi syndrome, which causes seizures, severe mental retardation and blindness. When Adriana became too heavy to carry, her mother, Columba, requested Variety’s help to purchase a specially equipped stroller so that they can take their little girl on walks and family outings. 
Sarah Gaudioso is a 14-year-old child with Cerebral Palsy. Sarah’s Cerebral Palsy affects nearly all of her extremities and prevents her from walking, according to her doctors. Sarah was placed in a power wheelchair where it was assumed she would stay for the rest of her life. Tammy Stainaker, Sarah’s mother, recently shared a testimonial from Sarah’s experience at Variety Camp:
A favorite summer activity for kids of all ages is riding their bicycles. For a child with special needs, that is no small feat. Zachary, age nine, from Irwin, PA was born with low thoracic spina bifida, a neurotube defect that has left him paralyzed from the waist down. Zach is able to walk with the aid of braces and crutches, but biking with his neighborhood friends was difficult and frustrating until his physical therapist from Children's Institute in Pittsburgh made contact with Variety.
Shane is a 13 year-old boy diagnosed with cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus and asthma. For mobility, Shane relies on a wheelchair, bilateral braces or walker. He is further challenged by moderate deficits in his hearing, vision, and language processing. Like most teenage boys, Shane is interested in sports, but faces limitations on entering and leaving his house. With your help, Variety The Children's Charity was able to assist his family with the construction of a wheelchair-accessible ramp to help Shane get into and out of the house.
Mary Elizabeth is a 5 year-old sweet little girl who was born with spina bifida with hydrocephalus. As a result of her congenital disability, Mary Elizabeth requires a wheelchair and full leg bracing and crutches for mobility. To help with her walking and mobility needs, Variety, through your generosity, constructed a wheelchair ramp for Mary Elizabeth.
When Katlyn was only 1-1/2 years old, she was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease, wherein her cells lack the ability to produce energy. Because of this rare and progressive disease, Katlyn is completely dependent upon her wheelchair for all of her ambulatory skills. But like all teenagers, she wants to go places and be with her friends. With Katlyn's growth spurts, it has become increasingly difficult and dangerous for her mother and caregivers to lift Katlyn into and out of the family van. That's when her mother came to Variety for help. Through your generosity, Variety was able to install a new hydraulic lift with restraint system for the family van at a cost of $5,000 dollars. Now Katlyn can more easily and safely go everywhere. She meets her friends at the movies, goes grocery shopping with Mom, and takes frequent outings to area parks.
At birth, Nicholas was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Now 7 years old, Nicholas, like any other little boy, wants to ride bikes with his neighborhood buddies. But because of his diagnosis, Nicholas has weakened trunk strength and gross motor skills, making it difficult for him to propel a regular tricycle. Because of your generosity, Variety was able to provide him with an adaptive Rifton Ranger tricycle. This tricycle provides Nicholas with lower extremity strengthening, and facilitates his age-appropriate gross motor skills.| Variety International • U.S. Variety • Privacy Policy | Chapter Resources |
| Copyright © 2008 Variety - The Children's Charity. All Rights Reserved. |
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| Variety International • U.S. Variety • Privacy Policy | Chapter Resources |
| Copyright © 2008 Variety - The Children's Charity. All Rights Reserved. |