Christopher\'s Special Bike
Donation protected
I am raising money for Christopher, who is 4 years old and suffers from Spastic Quad Cerebral Palsy. He is a very determined little boy who does not let his severe physical limitations get in the way of enjoying life to the fullest. He has a twin sister and wants to do everything she does. My husband and I try to provide him with every opportunity to do all the things he wants to. We have to physically hold him up for hours at a time so that he can chase his sister, or play a game, or play on the equipment at the park. The pure happiness is worth every single aching muscle.
The one thing we have been unable to accomadate him on is a bicycle. We have tried traditional bikes, and we just don\'t have enough hands or strength to help him. It takes one person to hold him, another to keep his feet on the pedals and move them, and another to steer. His sister is now riding a tricycle (we can\'t keep her from typical childhood moments). It breaks our heart when he asks when he is going to get a bike. All we can say is soon, we are trying to find one.
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The money collected will go towards a Rifton special needs tricycle which is made to help him learn to move independently, help him strengthen his trunk and legs, and provide a means of a \"typical\" childhood experience of riding a bike. He was able to borrow one to try out so that we could see what he needs for support. This tricycle has a special seat that holds him up and provides the right trunk support. It has pedals that allow the feet to be strapped in and the bonus of moving when the tricycle is pushed. This way he can still get the arobic exercise and the movement when he tires (which is easily). It has a special adjustable handle bar that he is able to hold on to and steer easily.
The moment he started to try this tricycle, he was so happy. While he was taking his trip down the hallway, therapists that have been a part of his treatment stopped to watch. We all had tears of joy because he was so happy and laughing. He wanted to do more and more. He was tired, but he still didn\'t want to stop. It was an amazing moment to see him do something we never thought was possible.
The one thing we have been unable to accomadate him on is a bicycle. We have tried traditional bikes, and we just don\'t have enough hands or strength to help him. It takes one person to hold him, another to keep his feet on the pedals and move them, and another to steer. His sister is now riding a tricycle (we can\'t keep her from typical childhood moments). It breaks our heart when he asks when he is going to get a bike. All we can say is soon, we are trying to find one.
.
The money collected will go towards a Rifton special needs tricycle which is made to help him learn to move independently, help him strengthen his trunk and legs, and provide a means of a \"typical\" childhood experience of riding a bike. He was able to borrow one to try out so that we could see what he needs for support. This tricycle has a special seat that holds him up and provides the right trunk support. It has pedals that allow the feet to be strapped in and the bonus of moving when the tricycle is pushed. This way he can still get the arobic exercise and the movement when he tires (which is easily). It has a special adjustable handle bar that he is able to hold on to and steer easily.
The moment he started to try this tricycle, he was so happy. While he was taking his trip down the hallway, therapists that have been a part of his treatment stopped to watch. We all had tears of joy because he was so happy and laughing. He wanted to do more and more. He was tired, but he still didn\'t want to stop. It was an amazing moment to see him do something we never thought was possible.
Organizer
Sandra Martorano Tentler
Organizer
