Local students
collect can tabs to help boy with palsy Posted
on: Friday, October 12, 2007
By Candace Birkelbach
Killeen Daily Herald
Raising a child who has cerebral palsy is frustrating because it's as if the child is trapped inside his own body, said Lori Hansard, of Houston, whose son has cerebral palsy.
Her son, Hunter, has an injury in his brain ventricles that are responsible for controlling movement and reactions, Hansard said.
Hunter is aware mentally, but may not respond to people and things around him, she said.
Hunter has undergone treatments that seem to be helping him down the road toward normalcy. Some children about his own age in Harker Heights are determined to help fund his treatments.
Hansard said she has never been able to talk to her 10-year-old son and he is just now learning to make normal movements and reactions.
Hansard said a bug landed on her son Thursday and normally Hunter would not be able to react or make any movements in a situation like this.
"I was making a big deal about the bug being on him and then he just brushed it off," Hansard said. "Things like that are priceless to me."
She said it may sound weird to people who have all their vital functions to get excited over something so simple.
This year, Hunter has undergone treatments using hyperbaric oxygen which are hard to get in the United States, Hansard said.
Hansard and her son live in Houston but fly to North Carolina to receive these 40-hour treatments. The cost is $59 per hour, which Hansard said is pretty reasonable compared to others.
The oxygen treatments are performed in a vault with immense amounts of oxygen, Hansard said.
It is similar to an airplane being de-pressurized, only the opposite, she said. The vault simulates being 16 feet below sea level and forces oxygen deep into the brain. The oxygen helps the brain make new blood vessels, Hansard said.
Hunter has received about 200 hours of these treatments, but still needs about 100 more hours.
James Cochran, 10, a student at Harker Heights Elementary, has never met Hunter but was inspired by his story, told to him by his brother-in-law.
Cochran was told that the Hansard family was collecting tabs from aluminum soda cans than can be traded in for vouchers for Hunter's treatments.
Cochran took the initiative to set up gallon jugs at his school to collect the tabs for Hunter.
Cochran said everyone at his school helped out, but he was surprised by how much the students helped.
So far, the school has collected three 5-gallon jugs and one 23- by 36-inch box of tabs, said Dana Kohnau, Cochran's sister.
"Even the poorest kids are helping," Kohnau said.
They are giving without the anticipation of receiving anything in return, she said.
The students "are so excited they got to contribute and we don't even know them," Hansard said. "It's hard to think you could be this blessed."
Hansard said she is very optimistic and Hunter's condition is always improving.
Since Hunter started the oxygen treatments, he has had more normal movements and people are stunned by his improvement, Hansard said.
Hansard said Hunter can now pedal a bicycle, eat bread and is toilet-trained – all simple things he was unable to do before first receiving treatments in July this year.
"He is really trying and has a cute sense of humor," Hansard said.
While Hunter is gradually increasing the number of basic activities he can perform, he is still unable to walk.
Hansard said after a few more hyperbaric oxygen treatments next year, she thinks Hunter will be able to walk.
Hansard said she is unsure how much money the soda tabs will provide because the students want to surprise her with it.
"This may be the money that pushes Hunter to walk independently," she said delightedly. "When money is given so unselfishly, the treatments seem to be blessed."
She said money raised selflessly seems to make the therapy excel and be more effective.
Hansard Cochran and the other students are doing something and receiving nothing out of the goodness of their hearts.
"It's very overwhelming," she said.
Hunter was born with cerebral palsy after having a stroke while in the womb.
"We were lucky to start the therapy when Hunter was very little," Hansard said.
She said most of her interaction with Hunter involved him crying and vomiting for the 10 years he has been alive.
"It's hard to love someone like that, but I've always had a glimmer of hope," Hansard said.
She said the oxygen therapies have been real aggressive and she is blown away by the differences.
Hunter has a Web site, gohuntergo.com, set up to raise donations for his treatments and to support other families dealing with the disability, Hansard said.
"We wanted to give hope to other families," she said. "So many hide in their homes and we want them to go out and be accepted."
Contact Candace Birkelbach at candaceb@kdhnews.com or call (254) 501-7553
Killeen Daily Herald
Raising a child who has cerebral palsy is frustrating because it's as if the child is trapped inside his own body, said Lori Hansard, of Houston, whose son has cerebral palsy.
Her son, Hunter, has an injury in his brain ventricles that are responsible for controlling movement and reactions, Hansard said.
Hunter is aware mentally, but may not respond to people and things around him, she said.
Hunter has undergone treatments that seem to be helping him down the road toward normalcy. Some children about his own age in Harker Heights are determined to help fund his treatments.
Hansard said she has never been able to talk to her 10-year-old son and he is just now learning to make normal movements and reactions.
Hansard said a bug landed on her son Thursday and normally Hunter would not be able to react or make any movements in a situation like this.
"I was making a big deal about the bug being on him and then he just brushed it off," Hansard said. "Things like that are priceless to me."
She said it may sound weird to people who have all their vital functions to get excited over something so simple.
This year, Hunter has undergone treatments using hyperbaric oxygen which are hard to get in the United States, Hansard said.
Hansard and her son live in Houston but fly to North Carolina to receive these 40-hour treatments. The cost is $59 per hour, which Hansard said is pretty reasonable compared to others.
The oxygen treatments are performed in a vault with immense amounts of oxygen, Hansard said.
It is similar to an airplane being de-pressurized, only the opposite, she said. The vault simulates being 16 feet below sea level and forces oxygen deep into the brain. The oxygen helps the brain make new blood vessels, Hansard said.
Hunter has received about 200 hours of these treatments, but still needs about 100 more hours.
James Cochran, 10, a student at Harker Heights Elementary, has never met Hunter but was inspired by his story, told to him by his brother-in-law.
Cochran was told that the Hansard family was collecting tabs from aluminum soda cans than can be traded in for vouchers for Hunter's treatments.
Cochran took the initiative to set up gallon jugs at his school to collect the tabs for Hunter.
Cochran said everyone at his school helped out, but he was surprised by how much the students helped.
So far, the school has collected three 5-gallon jugs and one 23- by 36-inch box of tabs, said Dana Kohnau, Cochran's sister.
"Even the poorest kids are helping," Kohnau said.
They are giving without the anticipation of receiving anything in return, she said.
The students "are so excited they got to contribute and we don't even know them," Hansard said. "It's hard to think you could be this blessed."
Hansard said she is very optimistic and Hunter's condition is always improving.
Since Hunter started the oxygen treatments, he has had more normal movements and people are stunned by his improvement, Hansard said.
Hansard said Hunter can now pedal a bicycle, eat bread and is toilet-trained – all simple things he was unable to do before first receiving treatments in July this year.
"He is really trying and has a cute sense of humor," Hansard said.
While Hunter is gradually increasing the number of basic activities he can perform, he is still unable to walk.
Hansard said after a few more hyperbaric oxygen treatments next year, she thinks Hunter will be able to walk.
Hansard said she is unsure how much money the soda tabs will provide because the students want to surprise her with it.
"This may be the money that pushes Hunter to walk independently," she said delightedly. "When money is given so unselfishly, the treatments seem to be blessed."
She said money raised selflessly seems to make the therapy excel and be more effective.
Hansard Cochran and the other students are doing something and receiving nothing out of the goodness of their hearts.
"It's very overwhelming," she said.
Hunter was born with cerebral palsy after having a stroke while in the womb.
"We were lucky to start the therapy when Hunter was very little," Hansard said.
She said most of her interaction with Hunter involved him crying and vomiting for the 10 years he has been alive.
"It's hard to love someone like that, but I've always had a glimmer of hope," Hansard said.
She said the oxygen therapies have been real aggressive and she is blown away by the differences.
Hunter has a Web site, gohuntergo.com, set up to raise donations for his treatments and to support other families dealing with the disability, Hansard said.
"We wanted to give hope to other families," she said. "So many hide in their homes and we want them to go out and be accepted."
Contact Candace Birkelbach at candaceb@kdhnews.com or call (254) 501-7553
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