SPORTS 'N SPOKES

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The Lap Club

When kids join this program, they can have fun, get some exercise, and—best of all—feel good about themselves.

He has something to do; he doesn't feel left out," says Kerry Wilder.

Wilder's 5-year-old son, Iverson, has multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (a hereditary condition characterized by abnormal development of cartilage and bone). Iverson, a talkative, bold little boy, has been coming to Turnstone Center for Disabled Children and Adults, a nonprofit rehabilitation center in Fort Wayne, Ind., for physical therapy for just over a year. (That's Iverson pictured on the home page of this month's magazine.)

Iverson hasn't always been so courageous. Wilder says he was once a shy little guy who was more comfortable talking to adults than interacting with kids his own age. He has seen many doctors in his five years, and he became used to the adult conversations that went on around him. Interacting with other kids was the tough part.

Until Turnstone, Wilder had a difficult time finding activities for Iverson, especially with kids his own age. His disease causes him to tire easily, and it is recommended he refrain from contact sports and high-impact activities. Iverson saw his 8-year-old sister, Gwendolyn, taking part in extracurricular activities all the time. However, Wilder was told she could not enroll Iverson in swim lessons or other local activities because he was considered "a liability."


Read more about the program at Turnstone and how it helps children like Iverson learn water safety and the importance of good sportsmanship and being active and healthy.

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