Treadmill for Yana for a healthier life

Nine-year-old Yana was born at 31 weeks. The first two weeks of her life, the newborn Yana spent in the ICU and then she had to spend another two months at the NICU for premature newborns. Soon after, the girl was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Since then, it has been a long journey for the family to fight for a healthier life for Yana. But Yana has been bravely undergoing all the treatments and physical therapy courses.

The hard work has paid off. Yana has developed many essential skills; she can sit up, crawl, stand holding onto the support, and walk with physical assistance. The girl also attends school. 

While attending physical therapy at rehabilitation centres, Yana does training on a treadmill, which is beneficial for people with cerebral palsy. The treadmill is one of the equipment that has long been used for rehabilitation of the nervous system. Treadmill training may help improve walking gait and distance travelled; using a treadmill can also help achieve mobility, physical activity or health goals. Walking and being physically active will also help Yana socially. In addition to physical therapy that involves treadmill use, doctors also recommend home-based treadmill training. 

Having a treadmill at home would tremendously help Yana to improve her gait and mobility! Unfortunately, Yana’s parents, an average Ukrainian family, cannot afford the 27 275 UAH required to purchase a treadmill. In the absence of sufficient support from the state, parents of children with disabilities have to turn to foundations and activists for help.

We want to help the family and raise funds to purchase a much-needed treadmill. Please help Yana to get her treadmill so that she can stay physically active, improve her health, and live a fulfilling life!