News 

Three-year-old Cainan White’s pathway in life is already enormously challenging. He suffers from kidney failure and up until recently – an extremely confined life. Then his mother, Taylor, discovered the St. Louis Health Equipment Lending (HELP) program which provides free durable medical equipment to anyone in need.  Cainan’s needed a pediatric wheelchair.  “The wheelchair enables him to go to school and move with his older brothers and younger sister,” noted his mom.

 

Cainan’s story unfortunately is all too common. Parents with a disabled child who don’t know where to turn for pediatric wheelchairs and equipment, which can cost from $3,000 to $6,000.  Seven-year-old Paola was born with spina bifida. She has never been to school, as she did not have a wheelchair and was still crawling.  Gibson Elementary in the Riverview Gardens School District's nurse connected the family with St. Louis HELP and now Paola attends school in a right-sized pediatric wheelchair.

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Karen Lanter, executive director of St. Louis HELP, notes that it has more than 144 different types of pediatric equipment sitting idle that could help innumerable families with children with disabilities.  Lanter says the equipment includes a variety of wheelchairs, strollers, gait trainers, bath chairs and bases, car seats and more.

 

“Having the right equipment is crucial for development for children facing significant limitations in mobility,” said Christina Rejko, a physical therapist at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital.  “It allows children with disabilities to access their environment, promoting independence while improving social inclusion and their overall quality of life.”

 

Fortunately, there are a growing number of connection points for St. Louis HELP, not only for families needing pediatric equipment, but for all durable medical equipment including walkers, wheelchairs, hospital beds and more for the elderly and disabled – again absolutely free. One of them is St. Louis HELP board member Imani Robinson of Love in Action, which serves more than 4,000 people annually.

 

Robinson connected Cainan’s mom with St. Louis HELP and Patricia Smith as well. Smith came to Love in Action for a wellness issue that also revealed a great stressor in her life. Her 90-year-old mom required a hospital bed for her home. Robinson helped Smith get the bed for free from St. Louis HELP.