Meet Kaylie, a beautiful, intelligent, kind, athletic, dog-loving 21 year old.  Since childhood, Kaylie has lived an active and adventurous life.  Playing soccer from the age of six, she went on to co-captain her high school soccer team her senior year at Port St. Lucie High school. When she wasn't on the field she could be found in the dance studio, running on the beach, biking, or playing with the family dog.  Kaylie's determination wasn't limited to outdoor activities, she applied herself academically as well.  In 2017, she fulfilled one of her goals and was admitted to the University of Florida, GO GATORS! There she was pursuing a degree in Athletic Training, Applied Physiology and Kinesiology.  Kaylie enjoyed everything about campus life, and loved being a Gator! However, on February 2, 2019 , while in her dorm studying , Kaylie's life was dramatically changed. 
It all started with a sudden sharp pain in her back, followed by a loss of both function and feeling into both of her arms.  Within a few hours her legs had also become paralyzed.  After a few days of Emergency care, it was determined that she had a Fibrocartilaginous  Embolism (FCE). FCE is a rare type of embolism that occurs in the spinal cord.  Kaylie was paralyzed from the shoulders down.  Once stable, she was transferred to Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital in Jacksonville where she underwent 4 months in a spinal recovery program and recovered  function in her legs. In June, she returned home and has continued Physical and Occupational Therapy at The Celevland Clinic-Raub Rehabilitation Center, in Stuart, FL.  The Raub Center is the one of the few clinics in Florida that has an RT 300, a Functional Electrical Stimulation bike. The RT300 has been a vital part of Kaylie regaining function in her arms.  The bike uses electrical impulses which stimulates the nerves, and enables the muscles in her arms to contract. She has been using the bike 2-3x/week for the past 6 months. Because of her hard work and use of the FES bike, Kaylie can do small tasks with her arms, however she will still require assistance throughout the day. 
As Kaylie's determination continues, she will be returning to UF this January 2020. Unfortunately,  there is not an RT 300 FES bike anywhere in the Gainesville area. We are hoping to raise funds so that Kaylie can have her own RT 300 FES bike to use on a daily basis so that she can continue to regain function in her arms and reach her ultimate goal of graduating from The University of Florida.
Any contribution would be greatly appreciated! To learn more about Kaylie's diagnosis visit: https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/9718/fibrocartilaginous-embolism  To learn more about the RT 300 FES Bike visit: https://restorative-therapies.com/ifes-systems/rt300/