When Adam Wells, M.D., and Lori Littlejohn Wells, Pharm. D., were looking for help for their son, Jonah, who had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, they turned to the Munroe-Meyer Institute and its physical, occupational, and speech therapy departments after being seen in the TIPS clinic.
“We were referred to physical therapy with Sandy Willett, and we’ve been working with her for almost a year,” said Dr. Wells. “Jonah, our son, has been making huge strides since being here.”
Now, they are offering a helping hand in return.
The Wells family is making a donation to the department’s Go Baby Go! Initiative. The Go Baby Go! Nebraska partnership, funded by grants the Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Department of Physical Therapy received from the Munroe-Meyer Institute Guild and Olsson Associates, a local engineering firm, provides modified ride-on cars for kids with developmental disabilities. The Wells family is pledging enough money to outfit 12 toy cars as safe devices for small children who, like Jonah, face challenges with their mobility.
Although Jonah hasn’t been part of the Go Baby Go! program, Dr. Wells said he’s seen what a difference mobility makes. “Once he was able to move around, he’s just exploded developmentally,” Dr. Wells said.
Dr. Wells is a pulmonary and critical care fellow at UNMC, where he also attended medical school and did his residency. Lori Littlejohn Wells is a graduate of the College of Pharmacy. So both are familiar with all the good work done at UNMC — but they still speak glowingly of MMI.
“Sandy got Jonah mobile,” Dr. Wells said. “Before, he was not walking, he was crawling around, really not on his feet.”
Jonah also has worked with Janice Flegle in occupational therapy and Paul Laikko in speech-language pathology.
“We were so appreciative of how much MMI and Sandra have done for Jonah, we wanted to give something back,” Dr. Wells said. “We’ve really seen the health disparities. We have the means to get Jonah what he needs, to get the special shoes, and get the devices he needs, and get to and from therapy. We wanted to give back to those who couldn’t.”
“All of us involved with Go Baby Go are extremely grateful for this generous contribution,” Willett said. “Twelve more kiddos will receive cars and experience the joy of independent mobility as a result.”
Wells praised the Munroe-Meyer Guild for its support of the Go Baby Go! Program.
“The Guild got it started, and it’s only going to snowball,” he said. “You just need to start it going, and then more attention comes to it – and not just to that program, but to the Guild and MMI and every program that goes on there.”