Palm Beach Today Video of Wheels for Kids fundraiser on March 10, 2010

Wheels for Kids Fundraiser at Palm Harbor Marina

in West Palm Beach - March 10, 2010

221 WORTH AVENUE

561.835.3500

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BICE RISTORANTE

313 1/2 Worth Avenue

561.835.1600

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221 Royal Poinciana Way

Tel: 832.0992

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Photos & Video

by Maya & Ron Johnson

Immediate

News Video & Photos

by Palm Beach Today's

Maya & Ron Johnson

Alice Rowe, Denise Jungbert, Founder & President of Wheels for Kids,

Kimberly Specce, Dawn Fennessy

Dorothy Sullivan, Nathalie Fernandez, Patrick Park,

Denise Jungbert, Patsy & Leslie Klein

View from the newly renovated Palm Harbor

Marina in downtown West Palm Beach

The Party Yacht at

Palm Harbor Marina in

Downtown West Palm Beach

A MOTHER'S LOVE

By Ronald Tee Johnson

Co-Publisher & Editor

Palm Beach Today

Most gala organizers have a heart of gold and serve their causes with a passon, but few actually experience the pain and anguish associated with the cause.

Denise Jungbert has been through it and rather than suffer in silence, she reached out to help her beloved Ashlee survive and to other parents who lacked the substantial resources it takes to give their child the opportunity to live a quality life.

“My daughter, Ashlee, just turned 20 years old in October 2006. From the start, she was seemingly without problems, but at 9 months of age, Ashlee was not progressing as she should. Ashlee was weak. We learned that she suffered from a condition known as Hypotonia Cerebral Palsy,” said Denise.

Ashlee’s father and Denise were working full-time, but did not make enough money for the five-day-a-week physical and occupational therapies, which cost over $100,000 per year. At the time they did not have health insurance. When they tried to obtain it, they discovered that pre-existing conditions were not covered.

Ashlee’s first manual wheelchair at age 2, which she quickly outgrew, cost $3,200. The costs for Ashlee’s therapies, braces and wheelchairs were so high that they could not financially support her. “I quit my job, and my husband and I divorced in 1992 in order to qualify for Medicaid to shoulder Ashlee’s medical bills, she said.

“We were told by the doctors that Ashlee would go from a crib, to a bed, to a nursing home and that would be her life. We refused to accept this, and vigorously championed her therapies. Ashlee has now had four wheelchairs totaling $36,000. Her current custom-made electric wheelchair cost $24,000 and most recently needed the seating to be refurbished at a cost of $3500.

“Because of a mother’s love, Denise established “Wheels For Kids” – to help middle class families with children with disabilities keep up with the progressive growth and cost of wheelchairs. “I want to help the children who fall between the cracks. I hope you will join me on my journey. “