Help Afua Win the Great Bike Giveaway

Look at this beautiful little girl. Her name is Afua W. and she is a fun-loving child who has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

Afua loves music, playing with her toys, and blowing soap bubbles. (Hello! Who doesn’t love all of those things!?) Afua also loves to play outside and desperately wants to be able to keep up with her siblings. All of her siblings have bikes, and during the summer months, her family goes for walks and bike rides every day.

This summer, her family wants Afua to experience the joy of being able to ride her very own bike every day. We want her to be able to join her neighborhood friends and siblings in a fun activity that is a childhood rite of passage. First, let us tell you more.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the motor control centers of the developing brain and can occur during pregnancy, during childbirth or after birth up to about age three. Resulting limits in movement and posture cause activity limitation and are often accompanied by disturbances of sensation, depth perception and other sight-based perceptual problems, communication ability, and sometimes even cognition; sometimes a form of CP may be accompanied by epilepsy. CP, no matter what the type, is often accompanied by secondary musculoskeletal problems that arise as a result of the underlying etiology.

Of the many types and subtypes of CP, none of them has a known cure. Usually, medical intervention is limited to the treatment and prevention of complications arising from CP’s effects. A 2003 study put the economic cost for people with CP in the US at $921,000 per individual, including lost income for their caregivers.

That is a heavy price tag, but one that many parents are willing to deal with for the sake of their child. So it is my humble opinion that, if I can help promote this event and get votes for Afua to assist her, and ease the financial burden for her parents even just the slightest – it is worth every ounce of time I can give.

What is The Friendship Circle?

Do you remember the day you learned to ride a bike? Do you remember the freedom you felt, the confidence you gained, the pride you had?

Friendship Circle created the Michaela Noam Kaplan Great Bike Giveaway to give children with special needs the same feeling you had when that shiny new bike arrived at your house. At Friendship Circle we want to give adaptive bikes to as many special children as possible. Thankfully we found many willing partners who share the same values.

Freedom Concepts, Rifton, Buddy Bike, Ambucs, Triaid, Flaghouse, Mobo Cruisers and Strider Bikes are partnering with Friendship Circle to sponsor the Great Bike Giveaway. These companies are giving more than a bike. They are giving a child with special needs the same freedom, confidence and pride that you felt when you rode a bike for the very first time. Why is it so important for Afua to receive a specially-designed bike? She is learning to walk, and the exercise she receives from her daily bicycle rides with her family will benefit her greatly.

Please join me, Afua’s family, and the Friendship Circle and the Michaela Noam Kaplan Great Bike Giveaway partners in sharing the special stories of these children.

Add More Bikes to the Great Bike Giveaway

Your donation will go directly towards adding additional bikes into the Rifton bike category. You can donate $10, $25, $50, $100, $500 or other and enter in your own amount you would like to donate. It’s as simple as entering your mailing address and your credit card information and you’ve helped make a child’s dream come true.

By donating you are helping individuals with special needs receive not only a bike, but also the gift of freedom, pride and self-confidence. So after you’ve logged in via Facebook and cast your vote Afua, please consider making a donation as well. I did. Be a part of a beautiful and special community that is helping children live a dream that most of us take for granted.

My sincere thanks,

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