Gina Szajnuk: “Ever since Ava could talk, she wanted to ride a horse. As a very anxious mother, I was terrified of the thought of  Ava riding a horse and getting hurt. 

I remember Christopher Reeves as Superman.  He was thrown from a horse. If any one could have defied the odds, it should have been him.

When Ava was three years old, we found out that she had a large arachnoid cyst. Her pediatrician told us it was “no big deal” and she would “most likely” live without any consequences. However, he stressed to us “absolutely” no soccer, no softball, no gymnastics and NO horseback riding.  Of course, I agreed to all of the above!

Since then, Ava has had four cranial surgeries and is shunt-dependent. We do not know if her subdural hygroma was from her arachnoid cyst rupturing or if it is from her undiagnosed genetic dysfunction. If you do not know her story, please read more about her on her profile and my blogs. Ava is one of the strongest and most determined young girls I know. She continued to ask to ride a horse even after her four cranial surgeries. My heart hurt for her but my answer to her was always going to be…absolutely not.

Soon after our move to Park City, we found The National Ability Center. They made Ava’s dream come true. They made my anxiety go away after I met with them and watched the other children ride their horses. They have horses trained to work with children like Ava. They have the staff trained to work with Ava. They made Ava’s 8th birthday wish come true!

Ava was able to ride a horse as her 8th birthday gift today. 

Thank you to The National Ability Center for making her dream come true!”

Link to The National Ability Center