The Luke Billings Foundation

THE PURPOSE of The Luke Billings Foundation for the treatment of children with Cerebral Palsy (a donor advised fund under the Columbus Foundation), is to offer financial help to Central Ohio children with CP, so they can receive ongoing and necessary therapy. One such avenue is intensive and episodic physical therapy.   Intensive physical therapy is ongoing sometimes up to 4-6 hours a day, two weeks at a time. Costs can exceed way beyond the amount that private insurances allow.  As many parents already attest, intensive therapy can be life changing.  It can also be terribly draining to a family, in terms of financial burden in order to help provide this research based treatment.  Children make gains in a shorter amount of time, that with the traditional model (1X/wk), could take up to a year to see. The child aquires skills they did not have before, as monumental as being able to sit up for the first time without assistance, or take their first steps (see testimonials).  And the earlier in life a child with CP receives treatment, the more favorable the outcome. 

     The foundation looks to other opportunities to help our Central Ohio children with CP gain access to other services such as equine (horse) therapy, special needs gymnastics and dance classes, and other physical and occupational therapies right here in our backyard.

     After the huge success during the “Pedal with Pete” event to support CP research, by your incredible outpouring of support,  and the inspiration of our son, we, Luke’s parents, decided to create The Luke Billings Foundation.  We don’t deny research is very much needed for CP, yet these children living with CP can use your help NOW, to receive physical, occupational and speech therapies. 

When our son Luke was diagnosed with CP in June of 2006, we were not sure what his future would hold.  The doctors were hesitant to commit to anything either.  As a parent, the feelings of grief and confusion that surged through our minds at that time were indescribable, and are embedded in our memory to this very day.  Although Luke’s CP is more mild, we are fortunate he is walking without the aid of braces and talking independently.  It has been a long road over the last 4 years, and with the right therapies and interventions he continues to succeed. Still, at the age of 6, there are still things that Luke needs help with such as dressing.

We are so blessed that Luke does talk, walk and play.  However we are reminded daily that not all families are so fortunate.  Those feelings have never been forgotten, the day we were told Luke may not walk.  We have witnessed how parents feel when their child is reliant on a wheelchair or a walker for mobility, and they hurt..., they hurt for their kids.  Because EVERY CHILD wants to walk and run.  EVERY CHILD deserves to walk and run.  EVERY CHILD deserves a chance!!!!

With your support, children with Cerebral Palsy from Central Ohio can challenge their bodies to move more independently, as we help these children gain function, and their families gain more freedom.  

THE BILLINGS FAMILY

Luke Billings with his parents, Wendy and Todd,

and big sister, Alexandra