Step 'n Go is Changing Lives - One Step at a Time

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Emily & Ellen finally found a bike they could ride

Emily and her mom, Ellen, have Larsen’s Syndrome, a congenital disorder involving multiple joint dislocation and scoliosis. Every year on her birthday, Ellen took her father to a bike shop to see if there was a bike she could ride. There never was. Could they find a bike for Emily?

Ellen and her husband, Marc, want Emily to have as normal a childhood as possible, including bike riding. When Ellen saw an advertisement for the Step 'n Go in Exceptional Parent magazine, she immediately called and asked, "Can a child of four ride one?" We offered to meet her at the Abilities Expo in New Jersey to let Emily give it a try.  

As soon as we met in the hotel lobby, Ellen got on the Step 'n Go and rode it right down the hallway. It was the first time in her life that she was able to ride a bike. Soon everyone in the family had tried it, including Marc, Ellen's parents and little Emily. The Step 'n Go we had with us was adult-sized and not designed to accommodate such a small rider. Yet, despite her size and limited range of motion, Emily was able to propel the Step ’n Go with small steps.

Emily's physical therapist works with her at home and walks beside her on the Step 'n Go. At first Emily could only ride 40 to 50 feet; now she rides around the neighborhood with her friends. After several months of using the Step 'n Go, Emily (who loves to talk on the phone) told me, "My physical therapist was just over. She said my range of motion is getting better. And my legs are getting bigger."

Emily will never outgrow her Step ’n Go as it can easily be adjusted as she grows. And amazingly, after waiting for so many years, her mother can ride the same bike as Emily by simply adjusting the handlebar height!

P.S. - Last year, Ellen ordered a speedometer for their Step 'n Go as they now measure distance, not in feet but in miles!