In October 2015, strong, determined, 13-year-old Kalea Davies set a goal to complete the Upper Canada Easter Seals Run, Walk & Roll without a wheelchair or her walker and guess what? With a lot of perseverance and hard work, she did it!
After undergoing a life-changing surgery that helped to loosen her stiff muscles, Kalea had to live away from home and participate in intensive therapy every day for two months to achieve her goal. Without her family and friends by her side, Kalea had to reach deep within herself to find the tenacity to push through the hard times and overcome any obstacles in her way.
After being discharged from rehab, she continued to work tirelessly with her therapist for the next five months, and in May, just seven months after her surgery, Kalea found the strength to walk the entire course of the Upper Canada Easter Seals Run 5k & 10k Walk and Roll 5k without any mobility equipment!
Freedom means different things to different people. For a child with a physical disability, a stander provides freedom from excruciating muscle pain caused by constant sitting. A porch lift offers the freedom to enter and exit their home safely. Simply put, freedom for a child with a physical disability means being able to do what other children can do.
For Kalea, freedom meant walking without any equipment, but many kids with physical disabilities don’t have that option. By walking or running with us this Sunday, you can help give youth the opportunity to attend summer camp at one of our two fully accessible camps or the equipment they need to stand on their own without the aid of a parent or adult.
Help give kids the ability to experience freedom and independence, just like Kalea did. Make a gift to Easter Seals today.