Intermountain Press Release

Orem, Utah—Two-year-old Mason Shaw is a very happy little boy, but that doesn't mean his life has been without challenges.

Born at just 27 weeks gestation, Mason suffered from collodion baby syndrome as well as brain injuries that left him with vision and hearing impairments, a rare skin disorder and hypertonicity or stiffness of his muscles. Through a lot of care and effort from his parents, Kerry and Spencer Shaw, and numerous medical professionals, Mason finally reached the point where he could roll himself around. And now thanks to a recent gift to the Utah Valley Pediatric Rehabilitation program, Mason may be walking around his home in the near future.

The Angel's Hands Foundation (AHF), a Utah-based philanthropic organization with the mission to improve the quality of life for individuals living with rare diseases, found out about Mason's story and the needs of several other children in the program who could benefit from a "Lite Gait" gait trainer. A gait trainer provides support for part of a child's body weight so he or she can learn to stand and take steps without the fear of falling. However, because of the prohibitive cost, this type of equipment has not been available for toddlers and children in Utah County. AHF agreed to purchase the equipment and it is now in place and serving patients.

"Several children are now seeing the benefits of this equipment. This is a great gift for the kids in this area who need extra help to learn to get around on their own," said Benjamin Norton, a physical therapist at Utah Valley Pediatric Rehabilitation.

Mason is now able to spend time during his regular physical therapy appointments learning to take steps and slowly bearing more weight on his feet. His parents hope that someday he'll be able to get himself around their home with the use of a small, standard walker.