School bus attendant Debbie Brown of Harford County Public Schools northeast of Baltimore was recognized by her administration in October for paying such close and caring attention to one of her special needs student last year that she helped solve a painful condition for the teenage girl.
Brown had just started working for Harford County last fall when she noted that student Sylva Green was confined to a wheelchair for no apparent reason. Brown inquired into the matter with the school bus driver and discovered that the girl previously used an ill-fitted prosthetic leg that would fall off and otherwise would cause her pain. Green had so much trouble climbing and descending the bus stairs that the driver often had to carry her.
Apparently, doctors had failed to realize the prosthetic never fit in the first place or Green had outgrown it.
“This broke Debbie’s heart, since she is one of the most compassionate attendants we have ever had,” said Danielle Lister, transportation supervisor at Harford County. “She told me it bothered her that this child was having so many issues, especially since this student always talked about wanting to dance. Debbie knew there had to be something that could be done for this student.”
Brown knew of the work Shriner Children’s Hospital does with prosthetics, and after some research and Lister’s blessing, contacted the Orthopedics Department.
“They said they could send her a packet of information that would need to be filled out by the parents, but all expenses would be paid, even picking them up and getting them to the Philadelphia hospital and back home since transportation was a problem for the family,” said Lister.
Meanwhile, Lister worked with the assistant principal at Green’s school to work with the special education department so Green’s parents could obtain the proper paperwork.
“I am thrilled to report that this student now has a ‘Hello Kitty’ prosthetic leg and no longer needs her wheelchair,” Lister added.
Read more in the January issue of School Transportation News.
