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A Louisville mother is working hard to create an inclusive play space for all children. Her inspiration is her son Luke. “Luke is a 4-year-old boy he’s got a lot of energy. He likes to run around and play with his friends and play cars,” Sarah Medson said.
Luke was born prematurely and a traumatic delivery caused him to suffer a cervical cord injury. The family relocated to Louisville from Minnesota so Luke could receive care at Frazier Rehab. Frazier is recognized as having the top Pediatric NeuroRecovery Program. Luke uses a walker to get around and a wheelchair for longer distances. “He’s just full of life and energy and he wants to engage with the world and not miss out on anything,” Medson said.
Luke said he likes to play football and basketball. But Sarah Medson noticed that Luke was ‘”missing out” on playing with other kids during recess at his school Our Savior Lutheran. “The playground is not accessible and as a mom thinking about your child going out to sit and watch other kids play is just heartbreaking,” Medson said.
Medson was introduced to Mitch Barnes, founder of Dream Foundation. This nonprofit helps to construct accessible playgrounds for children with disabilities. “She brought her beautiful family over and we had dinner and we talked about 40222 needing an accessible playground,” Barnes said. He knows first hand that mulch and wheelchairs do not mesh.
Hear all about Sarah and Luke’s Story
