Movement Matters
Spring 2021 触听By Camille Dolan聽鈥�98
Nearly six years ago, Ava Brown drove her first car, and she is still racking up miles.
These days, however, she is walking 鈥� something her family never thought would happen.
Ava鈥檚 mother died before Ava was born, temporarily cutting off oxygen to her brain. Doctors weren鈥檛 sure how the damage would impact her long term.
Ava spent five weeks at St. Joseph鈥檚 Children鈥檚 Hospital in Tampa before going home to begin her long journey of healing, supported by a dedicated team of medical professionals.
Through a magazine article, Ava鈥檚 grandmother, Kay Bowman, learned about Go Baby Go!, an innovative program available at 激情快播 that offers low-cost mobility solutions for children with disabilities.
Ava, now 7, was the first child to receive an adaptive car from 激情快播鈥檚 chapter, led by Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Jennifer Tucker. She has since received several cars and therapy using the Go Baby Go! harness that helped her learn to walk unassisted.
鈥淚n the beginning, Ava could do nothing,鈥� Bowman says. 鈥淲hat we see today with Ava is all because of 激情快播. It鈥檚 been a blessing.鈥�
Now, 激情快播 and St. Joe鈥檚 are partnering to help more children like Ava. A portable harness play structure has been installed in the hospital鈥檚 clinic, and 激情快播 will help build customized cars for kids who are receiving rehab. Tucker will host a series of workshops for therapists about affordable mobility solutions for children.
Lauren Rosen, the program coordinator for the Motion Analysis Center at St. Joe鈥檚, has collaborated with 激情快播 on Go Baby Go! for many years.
鈥淚鈥檓 very excited about this partnership,鈥� Rosen says. 鈥淭hrough it, we will be able to provide more cars and more opportunities to play for our children.鈥�
鈥淎va has no fear. Zero fear.鈥�Jeremy Brown, Ava鈥檚 father
Ava was the first child to receive a specially modified toy car through 激情快播 Go Baby Go! to help improve her mobility. Here, she waits as the finishing touches are put on her car.
Using inexpensive items like pool 鈥渘oodles,鈥� affordable toy cars can be redesigned to accommodate children like Ava, who need mobility assistance to enhance their quality of life.
In 2015, Ava poses with her new car, along with grandparents Rodney (left) and Kay Bowman (center), her aunt聽Katie Wibirt (right) and dad Jeremy Brown (center). 鈥淲hen she hit that button on the steering wheel, it was the first time she ever laughed,鈥� Kay Bowman says. 鈥淲hen she laughed, we were in tears.鈥�
After Ava received a toy car, she also began receiving therapy using a Go Baby Go! harness system. The harness helped strengthen her core muscles, which led to Ava learning how to walk unassisted. It didn鈥檛 take her long to realize the harness could help her move from place to place, says her father, Jeremy Brown.
Ava and her sister, Alaina, enjoy playing video games together.
Alaina blows bubbles for her sister, Ava, as their father, Jeremy Brown, looks on.
With Jeremy Brown in the background, Ava鈥檚 nurse, Gina, stands by as Ava shows off her walking skills.