October 30, 2023
On July 2, 2022, Kennedy’s entire life changed. A tragic accident caused her to suffer a severe traumatic brain injury and she has been fighting her way back ever since.
Prior to her accident, this teenager was a basketball-playing, horseback-riding, barrel-racing young woman that loved to chop wood with her dad.
Today, she’s in the fight of a lifetime.
Your gift will provide Kennedy with the vital equipment she needs to live life at her fullest potential. Kennedy needs your support!
As the only girl in a family of four children, she’s been keeping up with her brothers her whole life. This tenacity is now serving her well as she works hard on her recovery. Her mom, Jodi says, “She’s a spitfire!”
After months in hospital, Kennedy no longer needed acute medical care, but she still had a long way to go until she would be ready to go home. That is what brought her to St.Amant’s Health & Transition Services in November of 2022. This small, specialized program offers short, intensive and life-changing support.
Jodi recalls the progress Kennedy has made so far; a year ago, she couldn’t hold her head up or weight bear at all. Her face was expressionless and even sitting upright was near impossible. She credits the incredible work of the St.Amant physiotherapy team for the strides she has made. Now, she is riding an adapted bike and re-learning to walk with the help of a specialized walker.
Most importantly, her smile has returned! “We waited a long time to see that smile!” recalls Jodi, with tears in her eyes. “Thankfully, her dad and I were both here when it finally happened. It’s a moment we will never forget!”
Kennedy’s mischievous nature keeps everyone on their toes, and it is clear she still loves to play tricks on people, even though she has not yet recovered the ability to speak.
Getting Kennedy back to her hometown is an important step for her whole family. She is a country girl at heart, and being back in their small community, surrounded by friends, family and their many animals is something her parents weren’t sure would ever be possible.
While there is tremendous excitement around Kennedy’s return home, there is also some apprehension. Jodi worries that the progress Kennedy has been making will not continue without access to the proper tools.
Without daily access to the walker and bike she has been using at St.Amant, there is concern that the progress she has made will stall.
Kennedy turned 18 in August. While it was a day of celebration, this milestone birthday also makes accessing funding for equipment more challenging. Regular disability funding will only cover a single piece of primary mobility equipment for adults, which in Kennedy’s case is the wheelchair that she uses every day to get around.
St.Amant physiotherapist Sara explains, “These vital pieces of equipment help to improve Kennedy’s range of motion and help her continue to build up her strength and work on developing these critical skills.”
Kennedy needs your support to provide this life-changing equipment!
Her strong work ethic plays a significant role in her incredible gains, and her “in it to win it” attitude (the mantra she shares with her dad). It’s a testament to the amount of progress she has already made.
But no matter how hard she works, without the proper equipment, continued improvement is unlikely. She has come so far and no one really knows for sure how much further she can go. Kennedy deserves the chance to reach her full potential, and your gift today will provide the equipment she needs to do just that.
15 months and two days after her accident, Kennedy is heading home. “It is both exciting and terrifying,” says Jodi. “I’m feeling all the feels.” Making sure that Kennedy has access to the equipment she needs to continue her recovery is so important. Please donate today!
With my gratitude,
Juliette Mucha
Executive Director
P.S. Give before December 31st and make double the difference! Your gift will help Kennedy live her best life and provide similar opportunities to the many other people supported by St.Amant.
