Mom wants to help daughter with cerebral palsy get robotic legs to gain more independence
By Soyoung Kim
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OREGON (KPTV) — A 5-year-old girl has overcome so many obstacles to get to where she’s at today. She has special needs and her family said the next challenge they’re determined to help her achieve is gaining some independence.
Joanna Ellenbeck said her only child, Harper, is a miracle.
“Harper has cerebral palsy and she was born with more than half her brain missing,” Joanna, Harper’s mother, said.
Joanna was raised in Oregon, and lives in Arizona. She said she proudly served the country.
“Shortly after graduating from high school, I joined the military, and I went off to Afghanistan and Iraq.” Joanna said. “Oregon is my home, essentially, I was pretty much raised in Southern Oregon.”
Now her main mission – is helping her daughter live life to the fullest.
“The doctors told me she wouldn’t have a quality of life,” Joanna said. “We did physical therapy, of course, and occupational therapy, horse therapy.”
Harper just celebrated her 5th birthday a couple of weeks ago. And has proven – like her mother – she’s a fighter. Non-verbal and visually impaired, but has a big personality.
“She expresses a lot with her eyes and her face and she’ll make certain noises,” Joanna said.
And continues to progress.
“The physical therapist or I will put one leg in front of the other, left, right, left, right,” Joanna said.
Now – her family is fundraising to help Harper get robotic legs that cost tens of thousands to buy and over a thousand dollars to lease. Joanna said the device helps a child walk and trains them with the goal of initiating their own steps.
Joanna said she won’t stop trying to help harper become a – walking miracle.
“What I hope in my heart is that someday she will be able to walk with a seeing eye dog. That’s the closest as a mother I can do to give her some bit of independence,” Joanna said.
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