PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla — With the ring of a bell, Sophia Widner is on a roll. The 12-year-old loves riding through her Pinellas County neighborhood on her therapy trike. Along for the ride in her front basket — two cat plushies.
She says it’s fun.
“Sometimes I go super fast,” Sophia explains. Along the way, she’s always trying to spot some fluffy fur.
“Cats, specifically,” she said. “Because they’re amazing and super cute!”
Sophia lives with a condition that causes tumors to grow along her nerves.
“She’s been through chemo 3 times,” said her mother, Michelle Widner. The therapy trike gives Sophia a chance to get out and at the same time gives her muscles a work-out.
“I like how it helps my legs,” says Sophia, rubbing her thighs.
“I’m so proud of her. She’s willing to work riding her bike every day. She’s always asking me, ‘Can we go out now…can we go?’” says Sophia’s father, Richie Widner. “We’ve already seen an improvement in her walking.”
But all of this pedal power wouldn’t be possible without the group Wheelchairs 4 Kids.
“It’s a tremendous help,” Michelle said. “We couldn’t afford one on our own.”
Madeline Robinson started Wheelchairs 4 Kids when she discovered that insurance and government programs will often only pay for a wheelchair every five years. She points to photos that illustrate why that’s way too long of time for a growing child.
“I kept seeing kids in chairs that were falling apart, they weren’t appropriate for the child, they didn’t fit them right and nobody was doing anything about it,” Robinson said.
Over the past 12 years, Wheelchairs 4 Kids has provided much-needed mobility equipment to hundreds of families and helped them out in other ways, too. The group makes modifications to vehicles and homes. Little things like ramps or a roll-in shower can make a big difference.
“That’s life-changing…not only for the child, but the parents too,” she said.
Throughout the year, the group also holds what they call “Wheely Fun Days;” planned activities where kids can get together. It’s a time when the children can create friendships and learn social skills.
And boy, do they have adventures! From zip-lining to waterskiing, and even that other cold, kind of skiing. It’s all about improving the quality of life and generating some smiles.
“Alot of the kids we work with are isolated. They don’t get invited to the birthday parties,” Robinson said. “What we’ve done is create our own community. “It’s about seeing them blossom.”
Wheelchairs 4 Kids serves the entire Tampa Bay area. 10 Tampa Bay and the TEGNA Foundation are pleased to give the group a $2,000 grant to help keep the “Wheely Good Times” rolling.