A Safe Space to Explore

Six-year old Marshall is making big plans for his backyard this summer - endless somersaults on the trampoline, splashing in a pool on hot days, and being able to camp for the first time with his family.

Marshall loves playing outdoors, exploring and being chased, but his sense of adventure could cause him to flee at any moment. A new fence has opened a world of possibility for the family, creating a safe, relaxing space where they can experience those summer plans.

“We now have a space to ground ourselves and say ‘look at all the hard things we went through, now it’s time to enjoy’,” says Marshall’s mom Cheryl.

Your support makes stories like Marshall’s possible. It’s through your generosity, Manitoba Possible can eliminate barriers across the province.

“Marshall and his brother can now be outside together and have that bonding time. That simple piece, which is just a fence for some, is a whole other area of space for us to be connected with nature.”

Giving Marshall the opportunity to run, play and be an active kid by securing funding for a fence is one of the many ways Manitoba Possible children’s service coordinators support his family. Through a family-centred approach focused on strengths, needs and goals, Marshall’s children’s service coordinator worked with the family on navigating programs available in their small Manitoba community.

“They’ve been a really good cheerleader for us, providing me with things I never ever would think to ask for,” says Cheryl. “As a parent, when something like this happens to your child, you don’t even know what to ask for.”

Manitoba Possible’s family-centred approach supports families in breaking down barriers for children with disabilities. For Marshall and his family, a fence has provided a safe space where they can enjoy summer without worry.