Easter Seals helps disabled children learn to ride a bicycle

WATCH ABOVE: Easter Seals Nova Scotia has wrapped up a five day “I Can Bike” camp and invited us to see how far 20 children have come with their bike riding skills. Global’s Ray Bradshaw reports.

HALIFAX – Riding a bike is one of those simple pleasures of childhood we all take for granted. But there are children who find it difficult to learn to ride a bicycle because of their disabilities.

Easter Seals Nova Scotia is trying to change that. They held a camp this week called “I Can Bike” with specialized training to help the kids learn to ride.

Today was the final day of the 5-day camp, and 20 children showed off their new skills to parents and other guests.

Many of the young riders live with autism or down syndrome, and have never had an opportunity to learn to ride a bike on their own. None of them could ride a bicycle when the week started, but they made great strides.

Janet Power’s 9-year-old daughter Charlotte has autism. The family was unable to teach her how to ride a bike, so Janet contacted an American company about a program called “I Can Bike” and took the idea to Easter Seals Nova Scotia about a year ago.

“What immediately occurred to me was, how can I get ‘I Can Bike’ to Halifax,” said Henk van Leeuwen, President and CEO of Easter Seals Nova Scotia, “So we made sure there was an appetite, there was demand, there was interest. We discovered that there was.”

Power was quite impressed with the setup inside the Halifax Mayflower Curling Club. “They have to bring all the special equipment here and get all these volunteers and find a location,” she said. “All things have all come together over the last couple of months because of Easter Seals and this organization and my child – who I never thought would be able to ride a bike – actually rode a two-wheel bike. It is absolutely the most amazing thing that has happened to me in a long time and I’m so happy.”

Dreams have come true for many other parents and children – like Mackenzie Joy, who is very proud of what she accomplished. “I rode my bike all by myself,” the 10-year-old, who has autism, said with a big smile.

They all started out on special bikes that have rollers in place of a back wheel. “So what that enables the rider to do is feel stable, feel confident, and get that feeling of balance,” said van Leeuwen.

It’s been such a success, Easter Seals would love to bring the program back again next summer. “What I witnessed this week was transformational for these kids,” said van Leeuwen. “The coolest thing for me this week was watching parents get out on the floor with their kids, with the riders, and like struggling to catch up.”

Power agrees. “So 20 kids that probably never would have had this opportunity, now had this life changing experience, so it’s been amazing.”