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"As any parent will tell you there is nothing worse than watching your child experience pain, hurt or suffering. When my son, (Matt Groves) was just a baby learning how to walk I knew right away there was a problem. He would walk a few steps only to trip over his own feet and fall. Such a spunky little kid, he would get up and try again only to fall down again.
It was heartbreaking to watch. I could see there was something wrong with his feet and legs which caused him to continually trip and fall. After many doctor and specialists appointments, I finally came upon a doctor that identified an issue with his feet and hips. We were sent to Rhode Island Children’s Hospital for a thorough examination.
The doctor said my son’s feet and hips were not in the proper positions and he would need to wear leg braces in order to correct the problems. Think “Forest Gump” leg braces. The braces had to be custom made attached to hard shoes. As my son grew, that meant new shoes and new braces. Over time, I began to wonder why I wasn’t receiving any bills for his care or the leg braces. As it happened, Rhode Island Hospital approached the Shriners on our behalf.
When I didn’t have the resources for all the medical care my son needed, the Shriners were there. It was only through the generosity of the Shriners that my son was given all the help and care he needed.
For people who only know my son now, they probably can’t imagine him as a young child who had trouble walking and wore leg braces. For me, when I see him now as a strong man in a profession of strength and conditioning, I am in awe of what the child in braces can do now. ‘Thank you, Shriners, you will always hold a special place in my heart’.
Christine Tobin
(aka Matt’s mom)
guidestar.org/profile/36-2193608