WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Two-year-old Emmi comes to Allied Services in Wilkes-Barre every week to see his therapist Jean. He's learning how to walk after suffering a traumatic brain injury.
“Emmi, at one month old, was brutally abused by his biological parents so that brought him to me. We've had him since he was two months old,” said Danielle Medash.
Last year's 'Team Allied Services and You' campaign raised more than five hundred thousand dollars. Thanks to that support, Allied was able to purchase new technology like the Trexo gait trainer.
“It's a robotic gait trainer for children that are attached to a rift pacer, so there are six computers that operate the different joints for the hips and knees. That way, we can program to help children learn to walk,” said Jean Bohanan, Allied Services Physical Rehab Manager.
Before the Trexo, therapists would manually have to help the children take those steps.
“Emmi, prior to getting into the Trexo, if I would hold him up, I could get maybe three or five steps before he wanted to drop to crawl, and he would cry. Now he wants to hold my hands and walk 30 steps on his own when we are done with the Trexo while holding my hands,” said Bohanan.
“This child is the light of my life. To see the strides he's made and the obstacles he's overcome,” said Medah. “When I saw him in it for the first time, I just immediately started thinking "when." When he will walk on his own and that's all because of the people at allied services.”
Another year of 'Team Allied Services and You' will soon get underway, and the team is looking for more runners.
“If you think this is the year for you to run a marathon, reach out and we'll be happy to tell you more about how you can be a part of Team Allied in 2023,” said Charlotte Wright, Allied Services Assistant Vice President of Marketing.
If you want to get involved and join this year's team or learn more about the 14-year campaign, CLICK HERE.