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Braxton Bernard Family
Braxton is a happy, hard-working, fun 11 year old who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy. The ability to ride a bike is a skill many people take for granted. A bike is a possession many people take for granted. The ability to ride a bike and purchase a bike are not things our family takes for granted.
Braxton enjoys being outside. His 4 year old brother recently started to enjoy going on bike rides. Braxton shared that he wished biking was fun for him. This broke my heart and kicked my search for an adaptive bike into high gear. Little did I know that was only the beginning of the heart break. When I realized what an adaptive bike costs and that I couldn't immediately say, "yes, we'll get you a bike" I felt like the world was against me. Little did I know that the search for a bike would show me how many wonderful people are in the world. When I found out the Renewing Hope for Kids was going to help Braxton get a bike all I could do was cry. I still get teary thinking about it.
Donors,
Thank you for reminding our family there is a lot of good in the world.
Thank you for giving our family the opportunity to go biking together.
Thank you for allowing Braxton to have a bike that he can safely ride.
Thank you for being the reason an 11 year old boy smiles.
We will not take the gift of Braxton's bike for granted.
With sincere thanks,
Braxton Bernard Family
Heil Family
Emmy was born with the most common neural tube defect spina bifida. There are three types of spina bifida. Emmy has the most serious type (myelomeningocele), which also causes her to have hydrocephalus and club foot. She has a shunt. She also has AFO’s to correct her feet. Since birth Emmy has had 21 surgeries. Emmy is a very happy 7 year old. She loves her dog Ruby Sue, swimming, camping, going for walks, riding on the ranger, and lots of arts and crafts projects. She likes to be very independent. One of Emmy’s dreams is to ride a bike independently. We as a family are incredibly thankful that Renewing Hope for Kids is making her dream come true by having a hand pedal bike. A true joy of childhood! She can’t wait to race her brother’s and cousins.
Thank you everyone who has donated. You changed her life by being so generous.
-The Heil Family
Deedrick Family
Quin is 9 years old. He loves to be outside and we have always enjoyed riding bikes together. Riding together gives us a chance to be out in the community, go to the park, stop and see the flowers, animals, etc. Quin also has siblings and we enjoy riding as a family on the bike trails to Quarry Hill, the library, or DQ! In the past, I have been able to pull Quin in a tag along with my bike. Last fall, I started to not be able to pull him because he is getting too heavy. As he gets older, the electric bike would become his bike as he will need the pedal assist to help him up hills, etc. There is an option to put a seat on the back of the bike so 2 riders can ride. This would allow me to ride behind him as he learns. I believe this bike would serve him well now, and through his teen years. I picked this bike specifically because it has a motor, it is a step-through bike, and has a wider seat and wheels which will help Quin balance better. Once summer hits and school is done, Quin and I spend a lot of time together and bike riding is a daily activity we do to pass the time, get exercise, and socialize with others.
The night they received the bike I got this message–
“We went for a ride tonight! He loved it! He can get on and off on his own. I asked him if he wanted to turn around and he kept saying, “keep going!” I feel so honored and overwhelmed that others’ would be so generous to make this a possibility for us. THANK YOU!!!
-Kimberly Deedrick- Quin’s mom
Thank you note:
Friends at Renewing Hope-
Thank you so much for the E-bike! Wow! I think it might be the nicest gift anyone has ever given me. Quin and I have been taking rides again now that we can go together. He loves riding to the park or going out in the evenings to look for animals (deer, rabbits, etc). We also use it every morning to take “a run” down the gravel road with his siblings and neighbor kids. It has given us a chance to be back in our community! I just couldn’t stop smiling after you brought the bike over. He was so excited! It has been great to see some of his siblings and PCA workers enjoy it with him too. Thank you for all the time, energy, and money that went into making this possible. We are so grateful!
-The Deedricks
Hiley Family
Braylin was born with a genetic disorder called Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA). She was diagnosed at 4 months old. We were told to take her home and love her; she wasn’t expected to make it past her first birthday. Her body is very weak, she has little muscle tone. She is also ventilator dependent, has a trach, and also has a feeding tube. As her body grows, the contractures in her limbs become more stiff and painful. There is no cure for SMA as her disease is progressive. Some treatment options help Braylin keep from losing more strength and help slow down the progression of the disease. Braylin has never sat up on her own. She has never chewed food, or swallowed food. She has also never walked or talked. A therapy pool would provide a clean, safe, and controlled environment for Braylin’s physical and occupational therapy needs. Braylin depends on a machine to breathe and has a trach, so a controlled water environment is crucial. Braylin is also very temperature sensitive and this therapy pool has features that allow the pool to cool or heat up quickly to meet Braylin’s needs. Due to her SMA, too hot can put her into respiratory distress, and too cold can affect her muscles, joints, and breathing as well. The therapy pool is deeper than a standard hot tub pool that allows the caregiver and therapist to safely position themselves and Braylin for her therapy needs. Braylin’s diagnosis is similar to ALS as her mind is not affected. She is a fighter! She is just like any other 11 year old girl! With her upcoming Spinal Fusion scheduled for the end of August, this therapy pool will help her build her stamina for surgery and aid in her recovery when she is done with surgery. This pool will also help with Braylin’s overall quality of life. We have to upgrade the electrical outside as well, and crane the pool off the trailer and put it in place once it arrives. We are very grateful to RH4K and all of the donors in helping with the pool, the electrical and helping move it.
-Shannon Hiley- Braylin’s mom
Gleason Family-
We would like to start by thanking everyone who donated to this wonderful organization. Our daughter Lauren received a very nice side-by-side adaptive bike this summer. She is unable to ride a normal bike because of her disabilities, which are Epilepsy and Autism. RH4K reached out to me and we then started the application for the grant. When Lauren’s bike was delivered she was really excited to be able to “go for a ride.” The bike has a seatbelt for Lauren, foot platforms with straps, and armrests. It also has a battery assist that can kick in when Lauren takes a break from pedaling. It has been really fun watching Lauren enjoy going for bike rides and being outside. We feel very thankful and blessed that our daughter is able to enjoy bike riding that she otherwise wouldn’t be able to do without this foundation and the generous donations. We can’t thank everyone enough for making this happen for Lauren and our family!
-Mari Gleason & family
Gottman Family-
The Gottman family is filled with gratitude after receiving a gift from Renewing Hope for Kids, Inc. Charles (Charlie) Gottman is a smart, silly, social, and determined 4-year-old living with Cerebral Palsy from birth. He lives with his parents and younger brother, Henry. Charlie’s special needs require the house to be as safe and accessible as possible. After trying several options for his bed, and with the arrival of his younger brother, the family needed a special sleep setup. Reba, Charlie’s mom, was encouraged to contact Renewing Hope for Kids by Charlie’s physical therapist after discussing their needs. Reba then reached out to RH4K, who was elated to help. Charlie needs a full-size bed as close to the floor as possible to help him feel more secure, safe, and supported in his bed, whereas Henry needed a twin-size bed in the same space. RH4K went above and beyond to design and help build the custom bunk bed setup, down to the level of picking the color (Charlie went with a navy-colored stain). This custom bunk bed, which would have been prohibitively expensive to buy, has changed their lives. Charlie is increasingly mobile in and out of bed, sleeping more comfortably and soundly, and establishing more independence, all thanks to this incredibly generous gift from Renewing Hope for Kids.
-Reba Gottman & family
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