Alice Underwood on her trike with Dad Greg, brother George and mum Charlotte.
Camera IconAlice Underwood on her trike with Dad Greg, brother George and mum Charlotte. Credit: Supplied/Ryan Ammon

Little Baldivis tike’s trike spells more freedom

Gabrielle JefferyWeekend Kwinana Courier

HAVING more freedom to move about freely and quickly has been one of the best gifts five-year-old Alice Underwood has received.

Variety gave the Baldivis family just under $1500 to modify a trike for her.

Alice has glycine encephalopahty, a rare disorder which causes intellecutal impairement, dyskinetic movement disorder, hypotonia, hypermobility, swallowing difficulties and seizures.

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It means she struggles with balance and trips and falls regularly. It affects her ability to walk as well, and often causes fatigue and stress.

Having the trike means Alice gets to stay active and can enjoy doing things with her family including her favourite – bike riding.

The exercise is important for her health as it improves lower limb and core strength and gives a good cardio workout.

She lives with her parent and younger brother.

Due to her disability she is often pushed in a stroller or driven to the destination to meet the rest of her family.

One of Alice’s goals is to increase participation in family activities.

This modified trike allows her to experience this and give her participation and independence that she is not able to achieve in her wheel chair.

It also allows her to play with her younger brother George as other children can.

The Variety Home Lottery raffle closes midnight on August 30.

To buy a ticket visit www.varietylottery.com.au or call 1300 30 38 30.

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