The Best Birthday Present

Speaker 1: Today, it's a seventh birthday that a Machesney Park girl will never forget. Young Starlit shined bright with her new birthday present, an adaptive bike.

Stephanie Hause...: Say, "Here I come!"

Starlit Hauser ...: Here I come!

Speaker 4: So cute. Starlet Hauser Thomas has cerebral palsy, who's always dreamed of riding a bike, but due to weakness on the right side of her body, she can't ride a traditional bike. But the nonprofit Special Bikes for Special Kids teamed up with the Chicago Shriners hospital to make Starlit's birthday wish come true. They worked with a bicycle supplier called Project Mobility, giving the Hauser family an adaptive bike free of charge.

Stephanie Hause...: It gives her a lot more independence to be able to move on her own, groove on her own, and ride on her own now, right? Right, Starlit?

Starlit Hauser ...: It is bright.

Stephanie Hause...: She's been looking forward to it for so long and this bicycle will really help for her to get her exercise and stretch her hamstrings, and just get back out there a little more often.

Speaker 1: Since the start of the Special Bikes Program in 2011, the Chicago Shriners hospital has purchased 71 adaptive bikes for patients like Starlit, costing more than $200,000. So sweet.

Speaker 4: Yeah, and Starlit did have to pick and choose her time to bike ride. She got some bike ride again today, but she couldn't do it all the time today because of the weather.