BALTIMORE — Christmas came early for an 11-year-old girl from Baltimore.
Safeway and nonprofit Preston’s March gifted Aalonna Fischer an adaptive bicycle.
Aalonna has Sanfilippo Syndrome, a type of childhood dementia which makes riding most bicycles extremely difficult. This adaptive bike, gifted to her by Preston’s March, is much easier for her.
Aalonna's mother says she rides a similar bike at physical therapy. Now, she has one of her own to cruise around in and it’s her favorite color, pink.
“It is very difficult because some days she (doesn’t) want to walk, so the bike will help her tremendously keep her mobility. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep her moving so, like I said, the bike will definitely be an improvement in her mobility," said Candice Fischer, Aalonna's mother.
Preston’s March is a nonprofit from Wilmington that specializes in adaptive bicycles.
The Buenaga family started it when their son Preston received his own adaptive bike in 2011 and since then, the family has been paying it forward.
“Smiles, that’s what it’s about. Instant smile, I mean you remember when you rode your bike for the first time so that’s what it is and in every child the smile is different but that’s what it is. It’s a smile,” said Deb Buenaga.
Each bike costs between 1,400 and 2,500 dollars.
By the end of this year, they’ll have given out 700 adaptive bikes across the country.
