Dyer resident honored as Mile Marker Miracle in Splash and Dash Run held Saturday
By Leslie C. Ferguson
A very special girl named Cheyenne Needham of Dyer; TN. was diagnosed with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome at six weeks of age. (WHS) is a genetic disorder that affects many parts of the body.
The major features include characteristics facial appearance, delayed growth development, intellectual disabilities, low muscle tone and seizures.
Doctors did not have many expectations for Cheyenne, such as the ability to ever walk and were unsure of her life expectancy.
With the help of The Therapy & Learning Center of West Tennessee Health Care, Cheyenne is walking with a walker, uses a special tablet to “talk”, and lives a very happy life.
The Therapy & Learning Centers of Jackson recently honored Cheyenne. She was named a Miracle Marker Baby due to her great strides.
A Splash and Dash 5k was held June 2 at West Jackson Baptist Church in her honor and others to raise awareness of these special individuals and much needed funds for their care.
Participants could walk or run a 5k or one-mile race. Along the way they were splashed with vivid washable paints, sprayed with silly string and dusted with powder cannons.
This year was the first year for the colored foam cannon that shot beautiful blue foam into the air almost 70 feet. All of the runners and walkers were definitely ‘tie-dyed’ when they finished the race.
Along side Cheyenne was her team members, but she wasn’t the only special walker there. She joyfully walked along side many of her incredibly abled friends from TLC.
Friends of the family said, “ TLC has been a lifesaver for Cheyenne and her family!’ Cheyenne is the daughter of Ryan and Caryn Needham of Dyer and big sister to Violet. She is also the granddaughter of Tom and Mary Shull of Three Way.
To help Cheyenne and others like her with special needs or to learn more about these special individuals please go to www.facebook.com/therapyandlearningcenter/ or see if a splash and dash run is coming near you. Www.splashanddash.org.
