The 54th-Annual Easter Seals Telethon to Support Children With Disabilities Hits the Air On March 22
/The 54th-annual Easter Seals Telethon fundraiser to support children with physical disabilities is set for March 22, announced at Lansdowne Place on Wednesday morning.
(From left to right) Stuart Harrison, Easter Seals Telethon host; Zoe Gibbbons, Easter Seals Ontario Ambassador for Peterborough-Durham and Sarah-Lynn Gibbons, Zoe’s mother. The Gibbons were active partipants in the 40th annual Carl Oake Rotary Swim on Friday morning. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Proceeds go towards Easter Seals Ontario so that children and youth with physical disabilities have access to the tools and opportunities they need to thrive. The Telethon airs live from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on YourTV and Global Peterborough. The Telethon brings together stories, community voices and fundraising efforts to support Easter Seals kids across the region.
This year’s Easter Seals Ambassador (representing Peterborough-Durham) is seven-year-old Zoe Gibbons from Ajax. This is her second year participating in Easter Seals Ontario but her first as an ambassador.
Zoe was born with a rare condition known as congenital disorder of glycosylation type 2 (CDG Type-2) at birth and requires a wheelchair for mobility. She was the 49th person in the world to be given the diagnosis, according to her mother, Sarah-Lynne Gibbons.
“That's when the sugars and proteins, that mechanism is broken on one of her X chromosomes so there's a 50/50 chance that it can affect every system and organ in her body,” she explained.
Zoe uses her eyes and a Tobii Dynavox communication device to interact with others.
“There's heat sensors on the bottom so if she focuses on something long enough (like on one of the boxes), then it speaks out loud,” said Sarah-Lynn. “It's really cool. It took a really long time for us to advocate because it's one of those things that's hard to get covered but we did and we haven't stopped chatting since.”
The Gibbons were recipients of the Incontinence Grant through Easter Seals Ontario which is awarded to families with children who are diapered at the age of three and beyond.
“They also help with camps for all abilities and equipment so equipment that isn't covered by the government comes with a heavy price tag,” said Sarah-Lynne.
@ptbo_canada The 54th-annual Easter Seals Telethon is set for March 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.! Proceeds are for Easter Seals Ontario for children with physical disabilities access to tools and opportunities to thrive. #ptbocanada #journalism #fyp #news #eastersealscanada ♬ original sound - PTBOCanada
