Bodhi’s mom sent us a note:
“Three-year-old Bodhi uses a tiny manual wheelchair to explore his environment – except on Thursday mornings when he explores the world from atop Gideon’s back. Bodhi is a bright, curious, funny, friendly, kind little boy with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA - Type II).
SMA is the number one genetic killer
of children under two. Despite SMA’s dire prognosis, Bodhi continues to build
strength both on his horse and off. SMA requires that Bodhi do physical
therapy daily and he delights in his time with Gideon. Through the
movement of the horse beneath him, Bodhi feels the sensation of walking.
His hips settle into Gideon’s gait and Bodhi naturally uses his core and arms
to stabilize himself.
Without his even knowing it, hippotherapy
works Bodhi’s muscles in ways we simply can’t replicate during regular PT. From his first day at BITS, Bodhi was
encouraged to give Gideon commands. What started out as a shy, uncertain
whisper has turned into a loud, confident “walk on”! At BITS, Bodhi is
encouraged to be assertive and develop his own voice – a voice that Gideon
calmly and patiently responds to. Building Bodhi a strong community of support
has been a top priority for us as it is for many who experience disabilities.
Our team at BITS, led by Gideon, is an
integral part of that community. With their encouragement and
expertise, we have seen Bodhi grow from a reluctant participant to a playful
rider whose strength and stamina continues to progress.”
Deodonne
Bhattarai
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