Baptist Health therapists help kids go from observing to engaging in play with adaptive trikes

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (Dec. 19, 2025) – Staff at Baptist Health Pediatric Services in Elizabethtown came together on Tuesday for a hands-on act of service that will have a lasting impact on a local family: assembling an adaptive Amtryke tricycle for a child with special needs.

The bike build was made possible through a collaboration with Heartland AMBUCS, a national nonprofit organization whose name stands for Advocating, Mobilizing, Building, Uniting, Community and Service. AMBUCS provides Amtrykes—customized adaptive tricycles and recumbent bikes—for children and, in some cases, adults who are unable to ride traditional bicycles.

For Baptist Health therapists, the effort represents more than a single donation. Several team members serve on the Heartland AMBUCS board and have worked to expand access to Amtrykes for children in central Kentucky, particularly those already receiving physical therapy services.

“These bikes give our kids something beyond therapy,” said Kaycee Stone, a physical therapist, manager of Baptist Health Pediatric Services, and a founding member of Heartland AMBUCS. “They support coordination, strength and movement – but just as importantly, they give children a chance to play, to ride with siblings and friends, and to be part of everyday childhood experiences.”

Amtrykes are highly customized to each rider, with fittings completed by licensed physical therapists to ensure proper support, positioning and safety. The bikes typically cost between $1,200 and $1,500 and are funded through community partnerships, grants and donations. Since its founding in November 2023, Heartland AMBUCS has donated more than two dozen Amtrykes, with approximately half going to Baptist Health patients.

Prior to the establishment of Heartland AMBUCS, organizations such as the Kiwanis Club and other community partners helped provide adaptive tricycles for local children—support that continues today.

Shelby Price, president of Heartland AMBUCS and a Baptist Health Pediatric Services physical therapist, said the mission is deeply personal. A native of Elizabethtown, Price said giving back to the community that helped raise her is a core motivation behind her involvement.

“Improving quality of life is one of the reasons I went into pediatric physical therapy,” Price said. “This community means a lot to me, and I wanted to find a way to give back.”

Price recalled how riding bikes shaped her own childhood, from the feeling of wind in her hair to the freedom and friendships that came with being on two wheels. Now a parent herself, she said she better understands the emotional impact these adaptive bikes have on families.

“You always dream about the day you’ll teach your child to ride a bike,” Price said. “For many parents of children with disabilities, that moment can feel like something that’s been taken away.”

One of those families is Krystal and Adam Cordiviola of Elizabethtown, whose 4-year-old daughter, Penny, received an Amtryke assembled by the Baptist Health team. The family began discussing the possibility of an adaptive bike with Stone earlier this fall.

Penny was diagnosed with spina bifida in utero and underwent fetal surgery at 25 weeks’ gestation. She has weakness from her hips down and has been receiving physical therapy since she was seven months old. While she uses a wheelchair in daily life, therapy has significantly helped her progress to short periods of supported standing and walking.

Stone initiated the idea of the trike as she worked closely with Penny and her parents to explore adaptive ways for Penny to participate in activities alongside her peers.

“At the end of the day, she is still a 4-year-old little girl,” Krystal said. “She wants to play and be with her friends. A lot of times, children with disabilities end up observing their environment instead of engaging in it, and we’re always thinking about how we can help Penny be a kid and facilitate more playtime.”

Tuesday marked a highly anticipated moment for the Cordiviola family when Penny received her trike. Her mother said the gift opens the door to family bike rides, trips to the playground and shared outdoor experiences.

“What this means for us is having an opportunity to play as a family,” Krystal said. “Penny is the second oldest of four girls and our only child with a disability. Going on bike rides and to the playground — without her having to be pushed — gives her the chance to just be the 4-year-old little girl she is.”

Baptist Health therapists continue to identify potential Amtryke candidates through patient care and maintain a growing waitlist. Families or community members who believe a child may benefit from an adaptive tricycle can contact Heartland AMBUCS at [email protected] for more information.