Our Kids

DeJuan Corprew

September 30, 2015 By Admin

“Duece” was brought to our attention by Nan Bridges of the Muscogee County School system. Hearing impaired since birth, DeJuan has had bilateral cochlear implants and does very well now with his social interactions and in school. Mathematics has long been a challenge for children with difficulty hearing because of the difficulty in watching the teacher speak while simultaneously writing down the equation. Even if the lecture is recorded, it is difficult for the student to match up the recorded lecture with the equation he or she has before them when they get home. With new iPad applications this queuing of the equation with the teacher’s explanation can occur much easily.

It was the learning about this technology by Ms. Bridges and then her bringing Duece to us that allowed Pedaling for Kids the privilege of providing an iPad and the new math application to help DeJuan. Ok Duece, we know you will soon be teaching all of us in math now!

Elizabeth

August 13, 2013 By Admin

Elizabeth Jones

We met Elizabeth in the spring of 2012 and immediately fell in love with her. Her positive approach to life and that sweet demeanor and smile won us over and made us want her to be our 2012 Pedaling for Kids Ride Honoree. We had a great day with Elizabeth and her parents at the ride; we took the opportunity before the ride to present Elizabeth with a new iPad with applications selected for her specific needs by our consultant Mrs. Susan Elder.

Elizabeth suffers with severe Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Conventional educational systems are difficult for Elizabeth because of the effects of the RA on her hands. Her iPad and applications have significantly enhanced and sped up her ability to assimilate information with her studies – not to mention making learning a heck of a lot more fun!

2012 Pedaling for Kids Ride Honoree Elizabeth Jones

Elizabeth Jones and the Board of Directors — The Board of Directors and the Jones family before the ride, L to R: Jack Sherrer, Jay Parker, Lori Hughes, Stuart Sherrer, Elizabeth and her parents Scott and Kristy, Susan Elder, Rhonda Eysel, Kay Denes, and Al Ahuja.

Patrick

March 11, 2015 By Admin

Patrick Loncher

16 year old Patrick Loncher now loves cycling! Born with Angelman’s Syndrome, Patrick has limitations that prevent him from cycling on his own. However Patrick’s father Kevin was determined to get he and Patrick riding. After a chance meeting between Kevin and Dr. Jack Sherrer, Dr. Sherrer suggested Pedaling for Kids get involved and help provide a suitable and safe bicycle.

The result was the purchase of a tandem recumbent bicycle that both Kevin and Patrick ride together. Ways were devised to keep Patrick’s hands on the steering wheel and his feet on the pedals and Kevin reports Patrick absolutely loves being out-of-doors and cycling. The bicycle not only provides an important new and stimulating social interaction between Patrick and his family, but it provides much needed physical activity and exercise for the still-growing teenager!

Photos:

Kevin and Patrick sit on the new bicycle for the first time at the presentation.

The Loncher family: dad Kevin, sister Elizabeth, Patrick, and mom Kim

Sister Elizabeth and Patrick on his new bicycle

Dad and Patrick on the road!

Bobby Jean

August 12, 2013 By Admin

Bobby Jean

Dr. Jack Sherrer first met Bobby Jean’s mother, Barbara, when she was his patient. As he visited with her during her office visits, it became apparent that things were tough at home. Very tough. Barbara worked full-time at a nursing home as a medical assistant and the rest of her time was spent taking care of Bobby Jean. Bobby Jean was born with cerebral palsy andmultiple severe developmental problems. She is limitedly communicable and is completely bedridden and wheelchair-bound. She is on continuous supplemental oxygen and is fed thru a permanent tube in her stomach. She requires around-the-clock care. Barbara has a caregiver care for Bobby Jean while she is at work but is her sole caretaker when home.

Transporting Bobby Jean to and from the doctor or to the hospital has been very difficult. Because access in and out of their house is by steps, ambulance and transport services have not been able to help. These facilities do not allow their employees to physically lift and transfer patients; patients can only be moved and transported in and out of houses via wheelchair ramps. Barbara has therefore had to physically pick up and carry Bobby Jean by herself for years to and from the house to the family van. Lifting Bobby Jean has also obviously gotten much more difficult and strenuous as Bobby Jean has grown and gotten heavier.

Pedaling for Kids considers it very much a blessing to have been able to help the Ratliffs. Remember David Singley? He’s the same guy that ran the Master Kleen clothes sale last year that raised funds for Pedaling for Kids. With materials paid for by Pedaling for Kids, David single-handedly built an absolutely beautiful ramp for Bobby Jean! We couldn’t be more appreciative to David and couldn’t be more proud of the great job he did.

After the ramp was completed, the Ratliffs tested the ramp out. And tested it out again. And again. And again. Barbara couldn’t believe how nice and easy it was to move Bobby Jean. Bobby Jean was giggling. And for the rest of us … there wasn’t a dry eye to be found …

Photos:

Ratliff Wheelchair Ramp — David Singley with completed wheelchair ramp

Barbara and Bobby Jean on one of several initial ramp runs!

Ty

June 17, 2014 By Admin

Ty Kingery

We first learned about Ty from one of our long-term friends Libby Campos. Libby is a special-education teacher at Northside High School here in Columbus, Georgia and Ty was one of her students. She had applied for help previously for other students in her class but was unsure if we could help Ty and his parents. She wanted to let us know Ty’s mom Amy had embarked on a fund-raiser to hopefully raise enough money to purchase a wheelchair-accessible van for Ty but Libby knew we were still a relatively new charity and were limited in funds. Nonetheless, Libby – never quit or give up on a challenge – wanted Pedaling for Kids to know about Ty.

Ty was a typical healthy child until the age of 10. He was a gregarious, hard-charging, always-smiling kid who loved sports. He especially loved soccer. But then something happened. Something just wasn’t right. After months of testing doctors informed Amy that Ty had Juvenile Huntington’s Chorea. Huntington’s Chorea (HC) is a neurodegenerative genetic disease that is quite rare – occurring in only 7 of 100,000 people. HC typically manifests its symptoms in middle-aged adults between the ages of 35 -45 years of age. Huntington’s is a devastating disease with no cure. Those with HC end up with very rigid spastic movements, are wheelchair bound, and need full-time care. The life expectancy in those diagnosed with HC averages 20 years from the time of diagnosis. Juvenile Huntington’s Chorea is even more rare than the typical HC; only 6 percent of HC occur before the age of 21. Juvenile HC has a more rapidly progressive deterioration than the Huntington’s starting in middle age.

Ty’s mother and stepfather Scott contacted Ty’s biological father after Ty was diagnosed with Juvenile Huntington’s to give him the terrible news. Ironically, Ty’s biological father had just been diagnosed with the adult form.

We first met Ty and his family in January of 2014. Ty was now 17 years old and his Juvenile Huntington’s had already taken a devastating toll on him. He was wheelchair-bound and had a gastric feeding tube in place because of his inability to swallow. Although 5 feet tall, Ty weighed only 90 pounds. His mother Amy had long since put her career as a respiratory therapist on hold to care for Ty full-time. Libby wanted us to make sure we met Ty and his family; she told us we wouldn’t believe how positive and wonderful they were. And she was absolutely right.

Our Board of Directors met immediately to see if we could help. Our community interaction up to that point had certainly been on a smaller scale financially. Scott, Amy, Ty and his younger brother Robert were meeting with our Board in less than a week – and we were blown away. We were not only amazed and inspired by their love and commitment to each other, but were moved by their ability to find positivity in all they encountered. Amy, weighing only 130 pounds herself, was struggling in transporting Ty. She not only had to fold Ty’s wheelchair to put it in their present vehicle, but she also had to physically lift Ty to put him in a car seat. It was not only difficult for Amy to get Ty into a car seat and secure him, but the entire process was a very painful one for Ty as he had become very rigid with the disease progression. It had become so painful to get Ty out of his wheelchair for the ride that Amy had taken on the project of raising money for a wheelchair-accessible conversion van on her own.

After our meeting with Ty and his family, our Board promptly voted unanimously to participate. We decided – with Scott and Amy’s consent – Pedaling for Kids would spend a larger amount of money in order to secure a newer, lower-mileage van. Although the amount to be spent was by far our largest commitment to date, we felt our donors and supporters would wholeheartedly approve how their money was allocated.

Within two weeks Ty and family had a beautiful, low mileage van that allowed Amy to load Ty – while still in his wheelchair – into the conversion van via the back door of the van. No more painful rides for Ty! And no more lifting and risking injury for Amy…

Photos:

Ty Kingery — Ty Gingery – always happy and positive!

Ty and Robert — Ty with brother Robert, ages 10 and 3 in 2006. Ty was diagnosed with Huntington’s in December of that year.

Van with plenty of room for Ty and his chair

Ty and his family ready for their first ride!

Very sadly, we lost Ty March 4, 2014. This incredible family however never ceased to be thankful and positive. And thru the loss, it was Amy and Scott who reminded the rest of their family and friends to rejoice in the happiness that Ty brought to them and to everyone else with whom Ty had ever met…

Ethan

August 13, 2013 By Admin

Ethan

Cute Ethan loves school and loves his teachers at Little Learners! Pedaling for Kids provided an iPad to help Ethan with his autism. Again, PFKs friend and consultant Susan Elder, helped us select the appropriate iPad applications to help facilitate Ethan’s communication skills and other aspects of his education at Little Learners. His parents and teachers report his iPad has had a tremendous impact in his development.