FACT Oregon

Empowering families experiencing disability.

All Ability Tri4youth

Alex, our Hero!

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By Lucia A.

When Alex was diagnosed with autism back in March of 2009, our whole world came crashing down on us. With his diagnosis came a lot of no’s, closed doors, never’s and many people walked away. But regardless of who was by our side, we always had thing for sure, our will to keep fighting for our son. We knew we couldn’t give up, we kept knocking on doors until one opened. Alex has so much potential, we just needed to find people who believed in him as much as we did. FACT Oregon did just that, last summer we attended their triathlon (the All Ability Tri4Youth) and one of our biggest dreams for Alex came true.

Alex was so happy and excited to be a part of it, he had it saved in his calendar for months since he found out about it. He counted down the days until it was time to be part of the big event. As his mother I truly didn’t know what to expect, all I knew was that I was immensely happy and grateful that we were part of such a beautiful event who welcomed our son and saw him as the amazing soul that he is. Our best friends and immediate family were there to cheer Alex on, which meant the world to me. Alex and his sister were both participating, our daughter was so proud to be running along side her brother. Seeing her supporting him in such a way warmed our hearts and reminded us that all of the pain we have been through has made us that much closer.

We swam, we biked and ran as a family, we supported each other along the way and at each end point, we knew we were that much closer to the finish line. As we moved along in the race, seeing so many volunteers cheering us on gave us such an amazing feeling, we felt we were accepted and supported. Which in our world, means more than anything money could buy. The FACT Oregon All Ability Tri4Youth gave us a day to remember, gave us hope, gave us a day to celebrate our son. It reminded us that he is so worthy and capable of so much if given the chance to prove his skills. We are so grateful to FACT Oregon for hosting such a beautiful, inspiring event, we can not wait for the 2019 All Ability Tri4Youth where we will make more unforgettable memories.
Mother, father, son, and daughters standing in front of FACT Oregon banner at the All Ability Tri4Youth finish line
Alex and our family at the finish line!

 

The Sweet Taste of Victory

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By Carol Bunten

Raising 2 children who experience disability has its challenges. Swim lessons were a particularly Sisyphean task for us. We spent weekend mornings watching my children roll their boulders of fear up the mountain, only to have them roll back down again, year after year, with little progress and an ever-changing cast of befuddled instructors.

Because 71% of the Earth is covered with water, however, quitting wasn’t an option. In my heart, I believe that my kids can do anything with enough encouragement. So we signed them up for a triathlon, even though swimming features prominently and had been a source of anxiety and frustration for years.

The FACT website suggested that there would be a “wide range of options for supporting athletes as they complete the course,” including flotation devices, different types of bikes, and competing on a team with family and friends. I figured that with a lot of options we would find some way to get my kids 50 meters across the pool, hopefully without tantrums. Then, somehow, on a bike and then jogging. No problem! What could go wrong? Little did I know how much could go right!

I spent the first Tri for Youth on the bike course, first aid kit in hand in case any mishaps arose, while my husband supported my son and daughter. Despite my emergency preparedness, I was unprepared for the overwhelming sense of pride I felt watching the athletes and the battalion of volunteers cheering them on. My heart exploded, and tears poured from my eyes for three hours, witnessing successes of the athletes, all morning long. Somewhere in the middle of it all, my slightly damp 7 year old son raced by, alone on his bike, all smiles. He was so delighted by his accomplishments , and the freedom to speed ahead amidst all of the supporters, that he tried to joyfully tell me all about it as he whizzed by and promptly hit a curb, falling and scraping his knee.

He was still so proud of himself that he gamely got up, dusted himself off, got some first aid, and pushed through. He couldn’t wait to get to the finish line. So many previous obstacles had been met with frustration (and intolerance of his frustration). This time, magically, he just keep going without a fuss — even though he needed a pretty big bandaid.  My tears doubled. Fortunately the first aid kit spent the rest of the day neatly tucked at my side, minus a few Kleenexes.

Boy riding a bike
Note the big smile (and big bandaid)

At the end of that first All Ability Tri4Youth, my whole family felt like we had accomplished something major. We all felt a new sense of confidence. The kids tried something that felt impossible, and found it to be possible, with the right support. They built on this success, and were motivated to get themselves across the pool in the next triathlon just with the power of their own bodies (and maybe one kickboard and a noodle, just in case, but GREAT PROGRESS WAS MADE!)

These past 2 triathlons will be something I remember for the rest of my life.  I know that these experiences have provided a sense of accomplishment for my children, who don’t always feel capable and secure in themselves in the world. Two years later, they have built on these successes and lessened their fears enough to demand a trip to Great Wolf Lodge to try out the waterslides, of all things.

The mission of FACT Oregon is to empower families experiencing disability in their pursuit of a whole life. I’d say: Mission accomplished.

Register for the 2019 All Ability Tri4Youth!

 

Family posing for a photograph
My family and I at the finish line!

The All Ability Tri4Youth is coming, so TRY a Bike!

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By Paul and Susan Carson

FACT Oregon’s All Ability Tri4Youth is the only barrier-free triathlon on the West Coast. Youth and young adults with and without disabilities compete individually or on teams in a 50-meter swim, 2-mile bike ride, and ½-mile run.

The All Ability Tri4Youth is for everyone!  If your child doesn’t ride a traditional 2-wheeler, you might be wondering, “How can my child participate in the bike portion of the course?”

Here are some ideas, and some info on how we did it:

We’ve always loved to bike together as a family, starting with our son Anthony riding in the infant seat on the back of Mom or Dad’s bike. Eventually he outgrew his infant/toddler seat but wasn’t yet ready to bike on his own. The next step for many kids is a Tag Along but with Anthony’s low muscle tone, we were concerned that he might not be able to balance safely on it. Our solution was a seat back and harness found on Amazon. Eventually, Anthony was ready for more independence and he now loves to ride along with us on his own adaptive trike. His trike has given him a wonderful burst of confidence, independence, and empowerment. And it’s super fun to ride!

There’s a wide range of adaptive bikes and trikes to explore. Every child is an individual, so it’s good to try out some different equipment to see what’s the best fit. FACT has a list of resources that can help, and you can also ask the physical therapist or Adaptive PE teacher at your child’s school for suggestions on where to try out or even borrow some equipment.

Anthony on his Mobo!

We tried out a few options, and Anthony really took to the Mobo Triton. While less expensive than many adaptive bike options, the Mobo still had a hefty price tag of almost $300, and so we looked for ways to help defray the cost. It took some research and paperwork, but we were able to have the full cost covered by the K-Plan. Based on our experience, we recommend these steps to getting an adaptive bike or trike for your own child. If you start now, your child could have a new bike in plenty of time to start training for the All Ability Tri4Youth. We’ll see you on the course August 10th!

Step 1. Ask your child’s doctor for a “medical necessity” letter that you can submit to your health insurance provider. Be sure the letter explains that the bike will help with your child’s physical therapy goals, and that it’s not just for recreation. Your child’s PT can help with wording.

Step 2: Submit a request to your health insurance provider requesting coverage for the adaptive bike or trike you have chosen.  Include your medical necessity letter with the request. The insurance company will either approve your request, or (more likely) they will send you a denial letter. If they send you a denial letter, don’t get discouraged! Go to Step 3.

Step 3. Once you have your insurance denial letter, you can apply for a grant from a foundation (e.g., Wheel to Walk) or ask your case manager to request payment for the bike through the K-Plan. It’s important to go through step 2 first, because the K-Plan and most foundations will usually require that you first try going through your health insurance.

FACT Oregon
2475 SE Ladd Ave. Suite 430
Portland, OR 97214

(503) 786-6082 or 1 (888)-988-3228