Nolan

Nolan is about as cute as any human being could be.  His grin, those cheeks and his burbles could enchant the bark off a tree.  We were goners!  There was no way we could do anything other than build the coolest hot rod possible for this winning 18-month-old.

Why Nolan Needs a Car

Nolan was born with a rare kidney disorder and cerebral palsy.  Due to his kidney problem, he in on an IV pump for about four hours a day; this combined with the limitations of the cerebral palsy make it hard for Nolan to get around easily.

Here at Geeks for Kids, we play to a child’s strengths and find workarounds for their challenges, and Nolan has many strengths.  He can sit and stand with support.  He can grasp objects with his right hand, and he is working hard on rolling across the floor and sitting up independently.  He is also making great progress working on his fine motor skills.

Using his left side is harder for Nolan.  This, of course, makes sitting, kneeling and standing independently more challenging.  And, like most toddlers, he is still working out how to coordinate complex motor movements.

A Day in Nolan’s Life

As told by his mom, Katie

Hi!  I’m Nolan, and I’d like to share a little about myself.  I am 18 months old.  I am working so hard to be a big boy and keep up with my brother, Luke, which takes a bit of extra effort.

Each day when I wake up my mommy starts my medicine schedule and helps care for my central IV line.  Mommy and I work hard on my therapies until it’s time for me to take a nap; before I sleep, we check my weight and blood pressure, and I get hooked up to my infusion pump.

When I wake up, mommy finishes my infusion and gets my afternoon medicines for me.  During the afternoon, I work on my therapies again and help mom cook dinner.  At the end of our evening, it’s time for more medicine and my nightly line care.  When all of our medical chores are done, mommy and I snuggle; we like to sing and read.

Our hospital days look a bit different.  During a regular week, mommy and I spend at least three days a week at Children’s Mercy.  We visit our wonderful therapists, doctors, and nurses.

How a Car Can Help

Nolan’s family hopes that a car will give Nolan a freedom he has never had.  His mom, Katie, wrote “Nolan loves his big brother Luke and wants so badly to keep up with everything Luke does.  However, Nolan is not a walker just yet.  Nolan is an overcomer with the sweetest disposition.  Having a set of wheels to help experience his environment and keep up with Luke would be a game changer!”