Margot is a toddler with a diagnosis of Triplegic Cerebral Palsy, but that doesn’t slow her down.
Margot is a very young lady with a serious need for speed! Whether that means going down big slides, riding her daddy’s shoulders, going for a run in the jogging stroller, or sitting atop a toy train as it goes down a ramp, Margot loves it all, as evident by her squeaky belly laugh and her unique adorable smile that stands out by the way she squishes her nose and squints her eyes.
And despite her triplegic cerebral palsy, Margot loves to run and jump. Today, she accomplishes that with her daddy’s assistance as he mostly carries her across tables, seatbacks, couches, and other furniture in the house while Margot furiously spins her legs and pushes off whatever she can, whenever she can, all while laughing her laugh and smiling her smile. Margot and her mommy diligently engage in therapy multiple times each day so that one day Margot will be able to be mobile on her own.
Margot has responded particularly well to a room-wide suspension harness device that allows her to engage in gross motor skills therapy, including standing and walking, across a wide area. Unfortunately, she currently only gets to use that device for a short time twice a week when she attends outpatient therapy sessions. The PUMA provided by Variety KC, however, will allow Margot to use that device, albeit on a smaller scale, every day at home so that even outside of therapy sessions Margot can continually engage in therapy as she walks about and plays in the comfort of her own home. Today, walking, running and jumping may be distant goals for Margot, but Variety KC has given Margot the ability to take several strides toward her dream.
Every parent wants to help their child thrive, and I am no different. Even though Margot is insured, many items that would be beneficial to her care are not covered by insurance, and we need to pay out of pocket. It took us almost a full year of back and forth with insurance to get coverage for her stander because they deemed it not medically necessary even though two neurologists said otherwise. Many of the equipment pieces that are recommended for her are in the thousands of dollars (indeed, anything labeled accessible seems to have a hefty surcharge). While we want to provide the equipment to meet her maximum potential, and have the will to put in the time and dedication to using them everyday, without insurance coverage it is hard to provide the largest pieces that we feel would have an incredible impact on her mobility in daily life.
This is exactly where Variety KC steps in – making the impossible, possible. Generous Variety partners have made it possible for Margot to benefit from a harness system not for a short period twice a week, but daily – safely at home with her family. If you can help Variety make seemingly impossible solutions – possible, donate today at varietykc.org/donate. Thank you!
