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I am so glad to see you are using several methods on the web to get your messages out regarding adaptive equipment products as well as links to other sources and publications. As a therapist, the more resources we have available to us, the better we can help each of our clients. Thanks for all you are doing to better our client's and their family's lives.

Hello Elena Horning, Me and my husband have two Cerebral Palsy mentally handicap girls aged 15 and 18 years of age. We used to live in New Zealand and there we discovered the Pacer Gait Trainer at Goldfield School, Paeroa. They have never had the chance to walk and they were ecstatic when they could walk. Sadly we had to come back to South Africa with nothing and had to start all over again since 2008. Ever since I saw the Gait Trainer I have never stopped dreaming for my girls to have a trainer to walk and be like normal children. My 18 year old daughter tells me every day in her way that only she and I understand that she is walking. She wants to walk and I can do nothing about it. We do not have the means to buy the girls each a walker and would just like to know, how much would it cost for us the buy them each a walker and ship it to South Africa. I would just like to say, this is the most wonderful thing anybody could think out for children that are bigger and also want to walk and it is also wonderful therapy for them. To the person that invented this trainer, it is awesome and any child that can not walk for the mother and father that wants this so bad for their child to walk, it is a dream come true. Nobody would understand unless you have a child or two children born with a disability. This is a wonderful gift to children and bigger children that can not walk. The smile they have on there face, it is so rewarding. Thank you for taking the time to read my comment. Sincerely Mrs. Celesté Cordier [Blog Editor's note: We have put Celesté in touch with our distributor in South Africa and will continue to follow her story.]

Hello, I have a four year old with spactic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and I had to write and share our wonderful experiences with Rifton products. We have a Rifton toddler chair, Rifton pacer, and a Rifton tricycle We have had the toddler chair for some time now. The size is perfect for her! It is great for her to sit and be fully supported and complete her fine motor activities. We are growing out of that one and looking to different options for her as she enters kindergarten in the fall. We have had the pacer for about a year now. The pacer has been wonderful for my daughter. It has allowed her to walk independently and explore her world in a way she never has before. She loves getting into her trainer and going. As a mom, I am overjoyed to see the smile on her face when she is able to move herself. She is a very happy, inquisitive girl, but was always limited in her mobility to wherever her caregivers took her. Now she can go where she wants. I love that it is completely adjustable depending on where the child is developmentally. It allows for many levels of independance to be achieved in one piece of equipment. We had tried a different walker before, but there was no way to provide less support as she became stronger. The pacer is so adjustable that it grows with her as she gets stronger and needs less support. The tricycle has been great for her as well...allowing her to be like every other child. She loves riding the bike up and down the driveway, going as fast as she wants to go. The smile on her face is pure joy. We have a rather unique story as to how we aquired the funding for the tricycle. Last fall, a local bank was sponsoring a "Pay it Forward" contest; the winner received $1,000. People from the community made videos, and were asked to explain how they would spend the money. My daughter was nominated. Her video went up all over the world and a facebook page was created for her. We had people in almost all 50 states and several countries voting for her. It was a very moving experience. After two long weeks of voting, the final day came we had almost 5,000 votes, and it, coincidentally, happened to be her fourth birthday! We received the wonderful news that we would be receiving the check to purchase the tricyle. It was under the tree at Christmas. I felt it was very fitting as it was truly a gift from Santa Claus. I just wanted to say thanks for the wonderful work you do. You have given my daughter several amazing gifts with your products. Sincerely, Jennifer Hobart

Hi, I'm Living in South Africa and would also like to get in touch with your local agent. My Son Samuel needs a gait trainer

The joy and satisfaction of watching your child use a bicycle for the first time is a moment a parent will never forget. However, when you have a child with physical special needs we honestly find it difficult to foresee that moment. It was a beautiful summer evening in August 2004 when I placed my daughter in an adaptive tricycle. This was the moment as parents we had been waiting so long to see. It’s one of those milestones that many of us take for granted. I put my daughter on the tricycle, placed the Velcro across her sneakers, put her hands on the handlebars and that was the moment she took off! This was one of the best days of childhood! It was that time of hopes and dreams came true as she joined her sister and her neighborhood friends riding bicycles together and laughing harmoniously together as it should be. Rifton is a brand that I have counted on for many years. The products have always remained the go to brand name for families of special needs children. Rifton continues to produce the products that physically challenged children need to grow as individuals and with their peers from bathroom aides to pacers, standers, bicycles and much more adaptive equipment that takes a typical everyday necessity or privilege and modifies it to fit the needs of the child. August, 2004 our beautiful Victoria passed away. She was seven years old. Our family immediately established Victoria’s Friends Foundation (Victoriaflick.org). Victoria’s Foundation grants physically disabled children everyday equipment when all other resources are exhausted. Our daughter has given us so much love and happiness and has taught us immeasurable life lessons. Today I contacted Rifton to purchase a tricycle for a child through Victoria’s Foundation. Honestly, another person was going to call, but it just happened that it was me. I spoke to Felicity and explained our requested purchase. Things just feel into place and we had a wonderful conversation as I spoke about Victoria and that she did have some Rifton pieces (one was a gait pacer of which Victoria used outside with her sister and the neighborhood children) she was the happiest little girl. Felicity told me we were still in the system from over ten years ago! This brought tears to my eyes, but then I started thinking. I undoubtedly feel that speaking with Felicity was Victoria’s way of tapping me on the shoulder and telling me I’m in the right place with her foundation as I was purchasing a tricycle for a child in need. Thank you, Rifton for the wonderful memories!