Sarah and Kenny Chevaree know that smiles speak volumes. Their two-year-old, K.C., was all smiles when he was one of five Belleville-area kids with spina bifida to receive a GoBabyGo car last fall.
K.C. gets buckled in by his dad at the Belleville GoBabyGo event last fall.
“K.C. has really enjoyed his car. He still has some difficulty steering, but I know he'll get the hang of it. His older cousin was very jealous! This car has helped K.C. and us as parents find some normalcy with his diagnosis. We feel included and that means the world. I hope he understands this as he gets older. But his laughter and smiles say it all. Now we just need to teach him how to not run us over!” said Sarah.
The Belleville Kiwanis Club, in conjunction with Spina Bifida of Greater St. Louis (SBSTL), sponsored the GoBabyGo project. They were inspired by the Illinois Spina Bifida Association’s GoBabyGo program in partnership with Kiwanis Clubs, led by the Kiwanis Club of River Forest and Oak Park, the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and Shriners Hospitals for Children - Chicago.
“We visited their GoBabyGo event in 2018 to observe and learn about the logistics of hosting a successful build. Planning takes months as the car recipients are selected and their health care teams provide information regarding the sorts of modifications needed for the individual child,” said Gary Heath, a Belleville Kiwanian.
Added Bob Baer, chair of SBSTL’s board of directors, “The considerations are numerous —does the child need additional support devices such as a 5-point harness to allow them to sit erect in the car? Does the child have limitations of feeling or use of their legs? Is a system needed to allow for proper transportation of IV bags? Planning also involves working with engineers to ensure the safety of the electronics and parts used for the modifications.”
Kelly Abbott, a member of the SBSTL, said the two groups look forward to working together again, when COVID-19 permits, to build more cars for more kids. Abbott noted that nearly half of SBSTL board members live in Illinois. “We hope this was the first of many joint projects with the Belleville Kiwanis Club,” she said.
Belleville Kiwanis Club GoBabyGo volunteers and three of the five car recipients at Oct. 2019 event.
GoBabyGo was started at the University of Delaware with a mission focused on increasing mobility and quality of life solutions for children whose access to such may be limited during their early developmental years. It is intended to be an innovative movement for inclusiveness. There is no cost to the families for these vehicles.
For more information, visit SBSTL and Belleville Kiwanis.
