Carina’s Inspiring Journey at FFC: Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Dreams
At FFC, we’re lucky to be surrounded by an incredible community of members who inspire us every day. One of those members recently shared a heartwarming story that we couldn’t wait to celebrate with you.
Overcoming Health Challenges
Carina has been part of the FFC family since she was just a baby, attending our Kid’s Club at FFC Elmhurst since we first opened. Her journey hasn’t been easy—Carina uses forearm crutches and leg braces to support her mobility, but that hasn’t slowed her down one bit. She continues to meet every challenge with resilience and joy, and her positivity shines through in everything she does. She’s grown up around FFC, where she’s always had a place to play, explore, and feel at home. Her favorite things? The snack bar and trying to sneak onto an elliptical or treadmill right before leaving!
The Great Bike Giveaway
Recently, Carina and her family took on a new challenge—getting an adaptive bike through the Great Bike Giveaway. This incredible program helps families access specialized bikes through a combination of fundraising, voting, and random drawings. Adaptive bikes can be life-changing, but they’re often expensive and not covered by insurance, which makes programs like this so important.
When Carina’s mom learned about the giveaway, they were already two weeks behind. But that didn’t stop her from jumping into action. She reached out to friends, family, local Facebook groups, Carina’s school, and her veterinary community. In just 24 hours, they hit 50 votes and climbed to 8th place. Within days, they reached 3rd place—but the votes weren’t quite enough.
The Power of Community Support
That’s when something amazing happened. Friends and supporters realized they might not win by votes alone, so they began donating instead. Before they knew it, they had hit their fundraising goal—and Carina’s dream of having a bike that works for her became a reality.
For Carina, this bike is more than just a fun ride. Because she uses forearm crutches and leg braces, traditional bikes don’t work for her. Despite trying through insurance, therapists, and doctors, they faced countless roadblocks. Adaptive bikes can cost thousands of dollars, and like adaptive sports wheelchairs—which can cost up to $10,000—they aren’t covered by insurance.
A Life-Changing Victory: Carina’s New Bike and Supporting Other Families
What’s even more incredible is that the generosity didn’t stop with Carina’s bike. Any extra donations are now going toward helping other families still working toward their goals. With 1,500 families entered in this year’s giveaway, it’s heartwarming to see how much of a difference one community can make. Interested in donating? Head here to contribute to the cause!
In the meantime, Carina and her family are on a journey to find more answers about her health. They’ve already been to Boston Children’s Hospital and are exploring options across the country—and possibly even beyond—to connect with specialists. No matter what, their focus is on helping Carina live her healthiest, happiest life, and they won’t stop cheering her on every step of the way!
Carina’s story is a beautiful reminder of the power of perseverance, kindness, and community. We’re proud to have her as part of the FFC family, and we can’t wait to see her cruising around on her new bike!
