Updating a story we brought you previously, a Michigan teenager has completed a 40-mile walk to raise awareness for cerebral palsy, which his younger brother suffers from.
According to the Associated Press, Hunter Gandee, 14, carried his 7-year-old sibling Braden for two days on his back from the parking lot of Bedford Junior High in Temperance, near the Ohio border, to the University of Michigan.
The walk, titled the Cerebral Palsy Swagger, was aimed at raising awareness about cerebral palsy, and inspiring new ideas for mobility aides and medical procedures.
Hunter, a 155-pound wrestler, told the AP that he trained for the walk by lifting weights and staying active—Braden weighs 50 pounds.
“Honestly, yes, there was a point that we did consider stopping,” Hunter said, according to the AP. “Braden’s legs — the chafing was getting pretty bad. We did have to consider stopping. It was at about the 30-mile point.”
At the end of the walk, volunteers lifted a “Go Blue” banner similar to the one used by football players at the University of Michigan, so that Braden could touch it. Because of his cerebral palsy diagnosis, Braden sometimes struggles to walk and speak. Hunter said that the walk was inspired after he began carrying Braden all over as a child.
“We’re trying to get people to want to know more about cerebral palsy,” Hunter told Today.com, prior to the trek. “They don’t understand the work he has to go through, for all the simple things in life that you and I just kind of do.”
Can I Sue The Hospital If My Child Has Cerebral Palsy?
As we have noted in previous blogs, many children suffering from cerebral palsy have obtained the disorder through botched deliveries and delayed Caesarean sections during birth.
In addition to cerebral palsy, other birth injuries resulting from medical negligence include deformities, brain damage, erb’s palsy and shoulder dystocia.
Unfortunately, children with cerebral palsy can suffer from intellectual limitations, hearing deficits, vision impairment, behavioral problems, seizures, speaking difficulties and learning disabilities. They may also face comprehensive therapy and rehabilitation, as well as specialized education needs.
Our firm is well versed in birth injury law and can provide you with the legal advice and representation you need to successfully pursue your cerebral palsy case. Contact us today.
[Did You Know: Symptoms of cerebral palsy can appear during infancy or preschool years.]
Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP – Birth Injury Attorneys
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michigan-teen-finishes-40-mile-walk-brother-his-back-n125771
