HOSA members circled as two drivers met at the start of the track – but this was no ordinary “race.” Thanks to a collaboration with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), HOSA members at the 47th annual International Leadership Conference (ILC) were able to reconfigure toy cars to suit the needs of children with disabilities in a program called Go Baby Go. For the first time, these tiny tots were given the freedom to roam in toy cars just like any other child.
Michael Granato, HOSA member and teammate in the Go Baby Go challenge, said, “She definitely has the mobility down because she is speeding away on the racetrack!”
Go Baby Go is a national, community-based research, design, and outreach program that provides accessible solutions for children with limited mobility. The program was founded by Cole Galloway, PT, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Delaware, and has since spread across the country. Its primary focus is to modify ride-on toy cars and make them accessible and functional for children with mobility disabilities.
At this year’s ILC, HOSA members were given the challenge of engineering these ride-on vehicles in a matter of hours for families to test and take home. With the help of Go Baby Go program leader Michele Dischino, a professor at Central Connecticut State University, each team was able to successfully step up to the challenge and fit the cars just in time for the families to take them for a test drive.
“The biggest challenge for students is getting over their nervousness,” Dischino said. “Once they overcome that hurdle, it’s a very approachable project. I haven’t had a student do it and not want to do it again.”
Additionally, the cars available at ILC were already fitted with a 3D-printed handlebar designed by one of her university students in Connecticut.
Once the cars were fully rewired and tricked out for the kiddos taking them home, families poured in to test them. As soon as the babies were strapped in, they took off in their brand-new custom cars!
René Vega, parent of one of the car recipients, said, “Seeing her in the car and being able to watch her go, laugh, and be more independent was so awesome.” His wife, Angelique Vega, chimed in, “Our physical therapist Nicole put us in for this opportunity, and without hesitation, we were ready and excited.” Together, they expressed they had a lot of “love and gratitude” for everyone involved in making this dream come true.
Now that the family is fully fitted with a ride-on car safe to use, they look forward to a future of easier play, greater independence, and more exploring thanks to HOSA member participants, APTA, and the Go Baby Go program.
Granato concluded, “We thought it was just a cool project, but it turned out to be so much more. We changed a child’s life not only by giving them something tangible but also something intangible: the freedom of movement.”
