Tate was born with Down syndrome and cortical visual impairment. In late 2019, he developed intestinal failure due to small bowel neuropathy and malabsorption. He has a central line, is TPN dependent, uses a g-tube for medicines and has an ileostomy. He has also developed chronic kidney disease. He also has hypermobility syndrome and Sandifer syndrome. He is fully ambulatory, but they use a medical stroller for his safety when they are in most public situations due to his lack of stamina. He is nonspeaking and recently started using an AAC device.
“Meet Tate – an amazing 7-year-old boy. He has beautiful brown skin and amazing dark brown eyes. He is so loving and lights up a room with his smile. He brings joy to everyone who knows him. He also has an incredibly high emotional quotient and knows how to comfort people who are sad or grieving. Tate also happens to have a lot of complex medical conditions that have made life difficult at times. Tate was born with Down syndrome and cortical visual impairment along with hypermobility syndrome. In November 2019, he developed severe intestinal neuropathy and malabsorption. He lost a lot of weight and spent several months hospitalized at Children’s Mercy Hospital. He was discharged in March 2020 (the same week of the COVID shutdown) with a central line in his chest and is fed via IV nutrition along with an ileostomy and g-tube for medicines. The hope was that these interventions would be temporary, but so far these interventions remain. Tate was also recently diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and needs intermittent iron infusions for anemia. Some of these challenges have made regular interactions with other kids his age more difficult. He is very close to the adults in his world (parents, teachers, paras and medical doctors), and he loves his siblings. Tate loves to live his best life, and that may look a little different depending on his day. Tate loves to “go” in whatever form that takes. He really loves to feel the wind in his hair, so I just know that an adaptive bike will be such an incredible enhancement to his quality of life. No matter what struggles Tate is facing, he never gives up. He is the biggest fighter I know, and he is the bravest boy I have ever met.”
Wow, Tate has been through so much in his short life and continues to fight and progress. One of the things that Tate’s family mentioned was that his challenges makes it hard to have interactions with other kids. At Variety KC we believe every child deserves to Be Active, Be Social, and Belong. We also know that an adaptive bike will allow Tate to get out there and “go” with other kids and family members, experience freedom of movement and the empowering sense of guiding his own bike. Please help to get Tate and other kids like him the bikes that will benefit them so much! Donate today at www.varietykc.org/donate Thank you!
