At seven years old and full of boyish energy, he spent a good bit of time racing around Peek Forrest Park last week, darting from the slide to the swinging bridge.
But as Logan gets older he will have to rely on leg and ankle braces to help him get around.
Diagnosed in April 2005 with Charcot Marie Tooth Disease (CMT), Logan will likely face muscle weakness and loss of sensation in his feet, hands, arms and his legs as he gets older, his mother Pam Barfield said.
And Barfield should know what CMT does as a body ages, she’s been living with the disease since she was 20 years old.
“It’s hereditary,” Barfield explained. “It’s a form of muscular dystrophy that causes nerve damage, muscle weakness and loss of sensation in the legs, feet, hands and arms.”
Barfield said there is no cure for CMT and medicine can only help with the pain caused by the disease.
Logan’s mom noticed the signs of the disease developing in her son. “Sometimes he would fall down up to six times a day.”
But now, he gets a little help from Spiderman.
At night, Logan wears special leg braces that feature pictures of the infamous web-slinging super hero. “Since Logan got to pick out the color and design of his braces, it’s made him want to wear them. He even took them to school to show them off,” said Barfield.
The braces have helped, his mom said. “He falls maybe twice a day now. He still has some loss of movement and has trouble writing and tying his shoes, but he’s been a real trooper about all this.”
Basically Barfield said her son’s life has went from being normal to “turned upside down” by having to deal with the disease.
He now goes once a month to Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital and also takes physical therapy from Kidswork, a therapy center just for children in Cedartown.
But for one week this summer, Logan will be able to forget about the visits to the doctor and therapy appointments - he will be too busy rubbing elbows with Mickey Mouse and Goofy.
It is through the generosity of Kentucky-based Dream Factory that Logan and his mother, along with his father Richard and brothers Luke Barfield and Bradley Segerhammar, will take a weeklong vacation to one of the world’s most kid-friendly destinations.
The Dream Factory is a volunteer-based, non-profit organization that grants special dreams to children who are critically and chronically ill.
Having learned of Logan’s wish to go to Disney World, The Dream Factory stepped in and granted him his wish.
Logan was given a special party on June 4 to honor his birthday, which falls on June 5.
At his party, two representatives were on hand to deliver the good news to Logan.
“He was almost in disbelief when they told him,” said Barfield. “Then he asked ‘can we go tomorrow’?”
Barfield plans on becoming a volunteer for the Dream Factory, and hopes to encourage others to do the same.
“The Dream Factory is actually searching for children who could benefit from them,” Barfield said.
To get in touch with a Dream, Factory of Georgia representative, call 770-434-1383 or write to: Dream Factory of Georgia, 300 Village Green Circle, Suite 201, Smyrna, Ga. 30080.
To find out more about Dream Factory, log on to www.dreamfactoryinc.com.
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