Cranberry teen with rare disease vying to win adaptive bicycle
Cranberry Township’s Aubrey Neely, 16, has always enjoyed outdoor activities, but a rare mitochondrial disease has kept her from experiencing the simple joy of riding a bicycle.
However, her mother, Jillian Neely, recently came across a nationwide contest on social media called the “Great Bike Giveaway” that awards adaptive bicycles to children with special needs.
“I looked into it and thought that it was something my daughter would love,” Neely said. “She’s never been on a bike, and I’ve never even thought about it, but when I saw that, I thought it would be something really great to enter.”
Aubrey was born with pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency, which hinders mitochondria in the cells from producing enough energy. While she can crawl, her condition prevents her from walking and speaking.
Neely says that a new adaptive bicycle would provide Aubrey with a chance to be more active and enjoy her surroundings.
“She loves movement, so in the spring and summertime, I take her out for walks in her wheelchair or her stroller,” she said. “But I can only push her so fast, and I really feel like she would just love the freeing feeling of riding a bike, going faster than what I could push her.”
The contest runs through March 19, and the winner is determined by the most “likes” on their voting page. Supporters can cast a vote at Aubrey’s page at www.greatbikegiveaway.com.
