Alberta family raising money to buy robotic legs for daughter with Cerebral Palsy
A De Winton family is raising money to give their six-year-old daughter the ability to walk.
A lack of oxygen at birth left Claire Sonnenberg with severe Cerebral Palsy, which impacts her muscle function. She's spent the first part of her life in her parents' arms and in wheelchairs.
But that all changed this summer, when Claire's family was introduced to Trexo. That's a robotic computer system which hooks on to her walker and allows her to move about independently.
"Those first steps are every mom's dream," Stephanie Sonnenberg told CTV News. "It means the world to me walking around and holding her hands. It's something that I never thought I'd have."
But that feeling -- so soon after it was first experienced -- is now at risk.
Trexo isn't covered by their insurance provider, and the out-of-pocket costs are hefty.
Currently, the Sonnenbergs rent the technology. They want to own it.
"So we're trying to raise $44, 000," Sonnenberg said. "The legs cost as much as a mid-size SUV."
The family is currently just over a quarter of the way to its goal. They've launched a GoFundMe page to help out even more.
"We're just trying to reach out to the community to shed light on what this could mean for a little girl," Sonnenberg said. "There are so many things she can't do, but she deserves to walk. Everyone deserves to have this moment and we really want it for her so we'll do everything we can."
Claire's dad Nathan Sonnenberg says seeing his daughter use the Trexo system is reason enough to get involved.
"When she gets in, it gives her a sense of being and accomplishment," he said. "You can tell she has pride in walking. She's very excited and proud of herself that she's doing it, and that means the world to me."
A recent first day of school drove that point home for Claire's mom.
"It was grade one and she walked in on her first day just like everybody else right up to her desk," she said. "She smiles and laughs and looks around and sees everybody that's the same height as her. She just loves it."
To learn more about the Sonnenberg family, visit Claire's Instagram page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.