New Stroller Testimonial

My friend Stephanie (founder of Stroller Warriors and the Marine Corps Spouse of the Year 2012) has decided to lead a charge to encourage companies that build running strollers to include a special needs stroller in their line of products. There are so many families that could benefit from a product that would make every step easier. Many special needs kids can't walk for long periods of time, without assistance, or even at all.  A "super size" easy to push and accessorize stroller could make the lives of these kids and their families easier and more enjoyable! Even though Dara can run, it it not something she can tolerate for very long right now. So, I took a few minutes to write my own testimonial. I've included it below. 

My name is Deana Havens, I am a wife, a mother, and a runner. This is my daughter Dara. She is eight years old. Dara has autism.

Dara was diagnosed with autism in 2006. She was 2 ½ years old. Since that day my husband and I have done everything we can to ensure that she has every opportunity to grow and flourish from a toddler, to a preschooler, and now a young girl. We also have 2 other children, Caleb (6) and Dillan (or Dilly, 4).

This is a photo of our family after the Coastal NC Run/Walk for Autism in Wilmington, NC. We decided to run this race as a family to show our support for the NC Autism Society and to help raise awareness for Autism here in eastern NC. I don’t usually push Dara for races because of the constraints of both our single and double strollers. I do some training pushing my youngest daughter in a stroller but I have never pushed any of my kids in a race.

It was so important to me to push Dara for this race, but as you can see she is no tiny girl! In an effort to make the race easier I actually borrowed a yellow Bob Ironman stroller from a friend before the race thinking that it would make pushing her a little easier (even with a fixed wheel). But on race day we discovered that the tire was flat and it would not take air to fill up. So, at the last minute I reverted back to my old green stroller with a fixed wheel and a pull to the left (even after being readjusted several times). As you can see, she fits [for now]…but just barely!

The race was hard for me. I run all distances from 5k to 26.2, but this was one of the most emotionally and physically challenging races I have ever participated in. There were lots of corners to turn and Dara was heavy! My green monster was pulling to the left so much that my wrist was really hurting just trying to keep it straight! And with all the turns the fixed wheel was very difficult to maneuver! Lots of people in the race were very supportive and were tickled by the fact that she sat in the stroller with her book on her lap (she loves to read!) yelling, “Faster mom! Faster!” I kept telling those people how hard she works every day and that the least I could do was work hard for her.

After the race, she and I talked a little about it. She has language skills, but can’t always express her needs and wants clearly. That day she WAS clear…she loved racing with me! I couldn’t have been happier to give her such joy! One day I hope that she will be motivated enough to run even just a small part of a race with me. But I don’t imagine that happening for several years to come. Until then, I would love to have a larger stroller with a swivel wheel and all the options and accessories that a Bob stroller has to offer!  I could use it for racing (and places like Disney World or other family fun activities) where she could sit comfortably and I could push her comfortably. It would be an amazing gift for both of us if we could train and race together as a team!

If you or someone you know could benefit in any way from a new, larger stroller, please consider writing your own testimonial. Check out Stephanie's FB page for details and how to submit your story! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Geraghty-Marine-Corps-Spouse-of-the-Year-2012/344909458872678