Russell is One in Seven Billion Like many mothers, when Jessica held her newborn son in her arms for the first time, she knew she was holding a miracle. He seemed like one in a million. What she didn’t know was that her little miracle defied much longer odds than that. Within days of Russell’s …
Emmett Walks with His Brothers! Most four-year-old kids are naturally inclined to explore every inch of the world around them. But for some kids, like Emmett, physical challenges make walking, climbing, and playing with siblings less attainable. Luckily, Variety was able to provide Emmett with daytime and nighttime orthotics in partnership with the St. …
Colton’s Accessible World When Colton was born, doctors told his mother, Latrice, that she should not expect him to live longer than a year. But Latrice was not willing to accept that. For the first few years of his life, Colton spent most of his time in hospitals and at doctor appointments to address his …
For many children like Meilyn, finding their voice can be a struggle. Thanks to a new communication device from Variety, Meilyn has found her voice! Now she can communicate with not only the world, but most importantly, her parents. By the end of the first day with the device she was already having success. The …
Thanks to a new therapeutic bike from Variety, Winter is building the strength, balance, and confidence she needs to walk.
Variety Kid Lincoln recently received a piece of a medical equipment that does it all – keeps him safe, gives him a place to place to play, helps his family take care of him, and provides a comfy space for a good night’s sleep. This all-purpose piece of equipment? A safety bed. This bed is …
As spring draws near and the weather starts to get warmer, people are starting to get outside. Whether by foot or by bike, many are hitting the trails to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. Until recently, however, this wasn’t an option for Variety Teen Erica. Erica uses a wheelchair to get around. Her wheelchair …
Doctors used to tell Jada’s mom, Candice, that Jada would be a “lay baby.” By that, they meant she would do little more than lay on the floor due to her diagnosis of cerebral palsy. To that, Candice had one word – “No!” She refused to believe that her daughter couldn’t be something more. Today, …
For five-year-old Sadie, there is nothing more frustrating than always being tagged “It” first in a game of tag on the playground. Sadie has mild cerebral palsy, which causes high tone in her legs and can make it difficult for her to keep up with her friends. But not anymore! Sadie recently received a new …
For a long time, Variety Kid Ryan wasn’t able to use the smartboard in his classroom. The manual wheelchair he was using sat at a height too low to reach the board, limiting his participation in classroom activities. But, a few months ago, Ryan received his very first power wheelchair with help from Variety St. …
Variety Kid Joseph just won’t stop growing! At almost three years old, he keeps getting taller and stronger every day. But that means he also keeps growing out of the prosthetic legs that make it possible for him to walk, play and, most importantly, be as independent as possible. When Joseph’s prosthetics get too small, …
Variety Kid Tobias now has a place in his house he can call his very own, thanks to Variety and our supporters! This new spot is a Leckey Pal Chair, which is giving him the stability and comfort he needs to independently work and play. “This chair helps Tobias so much,” says Cindi, Tobias’ mom. …
For a long time, Variety Kid Jeffery (aka JJ) felt like he was missing out on a big part of childhood – riding a bike. Traditional bikes and tricycles are not accessible for JJ and his needs, so he has never owned a bike of his very own. At Bikes for Kids in November of …
Variety is thrilled to announce new partnerships with the Developmental Disabilities Resource Board of St. Charles County, Productive Living Board of St. Louis County, and The St. Louis Office for Developmental Disability Resources to provide adaptive equipment and assistive technology to children with developmental disabilities! These public taxing entities, commonly known as “Senate Bill 40 …
Earlier this month, the Jefferson Foundation announced the recipients of their second round of grants for 2021. The Foundation awarded 79 grants to 76 organizations, totaling more than $2.6 million in funds. We are pleased to announce that Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis is the recipient of one of these generous grants! Variety …
The Jefferson Foundation Gives the Gift of Equipment Read More »
Tennyson is a big fan of the St. Louis Blues. And with his new helmet, he even looks like a super cool hockey player! This helmet is important to Tennyson’s health as he grows. He was born with torticollis, which means his head twists to one side. Because of this, he sleeps flat on his …
Meet Fiona. She is eight years old and loves to laugh, ride her bike, and listen to Taylor Swift. Looking at her now, can you believe that she was given just a one percent chance to live to be six months old? Before Fiona was even born, doctors told her parents that, if she did …
Variety Kid Christian may not speak verbally, but that doesn’t mean he can’t communicate in his own way. His communication device is his voice, and he takes it wherever he goes. This device is operated using gaze nystagmus, which means that Christian moves his eyes to activiate it and express himself. This also means that …
At 19 years old, there are many places Variety Teen DeMarko has never had the chance to visit before. He has limited mobility and uses a wheelchair to get where he needs to go, but loading up in the family van has proved a challenge that bars him from truly accessing his world. To get …
Just like many kids her age, when Variety Kid Sophia is looking to relax and wind down, she heads to her room to hang out on her bed. At night, she happily snuggles up for sweet dreams and sound sleep. But this hasn’t always been a reality for her. Until just a few months ago, …
