News and Events

6/03/2011

Lifeline 4 Bonnie........

All about Bonnie, written by her devoted Mum........

My name is Katie. I have 5-year-old twin daughters Bonnie and Maeve. Bonnie has
severe global developmental delay. I have always known of Bonnie's condition, and have been prepared for the trials and tribulations of life, but no one could prepare me for the logistical difficulties in providing the girls with an opportunity to experience activities that other people take for granted.

As the girls were growing up, one could get through the weekends by providing 'shopping trips', visits to animals at the garden centres, visiting sensory rooms, but as the girls have developed, they expect more from life and I expect more for them. Bonnie is wheelchair bound, but is motivated by her twin sister who is very active and physical. Lifeline 4 Kids has given us an opportunity to change our recreational habits; has helped take the guilt away that constantly burdened me, (as I used to avoid venturing out too far from home, as it meant Bonnie was either sat in a wheelchair all day, or Maeve was told we could not go to particular places as it was not wheelchair accessible). I could see the impact it was having on all of us. Life is for living, not watching it go by!

Lifeline 4 Kids provided us with funding to purchase a 'Co-operative bike'. It's an amazing, sophisticated piece of equipment, that will suit Bonnie right until adulthood. It is an adult bike for me to peddle, with an all-terrain wheelchair fitted onto the front.

I, Bonnie and Maeve (on her own bike) can venture out into the environment. We can access places together that we never could before. No longer am I trailing behind pushing a wheelchair while Maeve cycles off on her own. We all have something to share together now. Our weekends are planned around our cycling, plotting our routes on maps and planning our picnics. I don't feel guilty any more, we have something special now that we share together as a family. We even got Nanny and Grandpa out on their bikes, and took a trip along the Thames Path.

Bonnie is so delighted with the bike. When I first sat her in it, she grinned from ear to ear and slowly rocked herself forward and backward, cooing. This is her way of communicating 'I like this'. As we took out first cycle together I can only interpret her expressions as "at last- I have a bike like Maeve - I am special too". The day after we had the first had the bike ride, we could not go out. Bonnie was very irritable. Basically, she wanted to be out there, feeling the wind blowing through her hair, seeing another dimension of the world, travelling faster!

I am so happy and thrilled with the bike from Da Vinci, they pulled out all the stops to get the bike ready and tailor made for Bonnie before the half term holiday. They fitted proper seat belts, a pommel, side padding- all of which can be de-attached as she grows. We have a luggage rack to carry her medical equipment and Gasostromy feeding kit.

This weekend we are cycling via the bike shop, to purchase a bell, and a helmet. We have already shown our bike to the Community Police Officers, so we can get it coded.

We get such positive feedback from people who see us out and about. Invariably, they are astounded that such pieces of equipment exist. It is such a pleasure to ride- 18 gears!

At last we feel part of something; we have a family interest. We can access our environment! Being disabled, or having disabled children can be limiting, but with help of specialist companies, and financial assistance, we feel special, we feel freedom!

After hours of note making and procrastinating over writing this article, it appeared to me that the charity's name 'Lifeline 4 Kids' is exactly what it says,

A Lifeline for Kids!

I can't thank the charity enough.

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