“No one has to sit and watch someone else play,” mother Sarah Madson, whose son has a spinal cord injury, tells PEOPLE
NEED TO KNOW
- Luke Madson, 6, was born with a spinal cord injury, which prevents him from playing in playgrounds that are not accessible for kids with special needs
- Sarah Madson, Luke’s mother, spearheaded a project that led to the creation of an all-abilities playground in Louisville, Ky.
- Panther Park opened in July and features flat rubber surfacing, ramps, an adaptive swing and musical components. “We tried to think of something for everyone,” she tells PEOPLE
Throughout his young life, Luke Madson, 6, of Louisville, Ky., has been accustomed to sitting out while other children have fun at the local playground. He was born with a spinal cord injury that requires him to use a walker or wheelchair so that he can move on his own — and that poses a challenge for most playgrounds.
“About 99% of playgrounds that we visit have wood chips,” mom Sarah Madson, 36, tells PEOPLE. ”So those are not places that we can go, unfortunately. It has to be smooth and wheel friendly.”
Madson’s dream of an inclusive, all-abilities playground for Luke and other children with disabilities led to the creation of Panther Park, which opened on July 29 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Louisville. The project was spearheaded by Madson’s nonprofit organization, the DREAM Foundation of Kentucky…