Bathroom makeover makes life easier for ailing girl

PLANT CITY Six-year-old Brooklynn Santos parents physically struggled to bathe their daughter, who has a genetic disease that progressively weakens her muscles and saps her strength.

A Tarpon Springs-based charity, Wheelchairs 4 Kids, learned of the difficulties Jayson and Shawn Santos were having and offered a helping hand: a bathroom makeover.

The work at the familys Plant City home included ripping out the bathtub and making the shower wheelchair-accessible, among other work to accommodate Brooklynns condition.

Im overjoyed that the people would come together and do what they did for us, what they did for her, Shawn Santos said.

Brooklynn, a sweet, intelligent and animated child, beamed as her mom wheeled her into the remodeled bathroom.

Can I have a shower now? Brooklynn said.

Brooklynn, their only child, has spinal muscular atrophy and cannot walk or sit upright without support. She was diagnosed when she was about 1 year old after her parents noticed she wasnt reaching the milestones of babies her age.

Brooklynn receives daily physical therapy and makes regular visits to her pediatrician and other specialists.

The couple, who have been married for 13 years, have had difficulty lifting her into a shower chair and maneuvering around the tub to get her clean. Shawn said the accessible shower is a godsend as bath time was taking at least 20 minutes for the 34-pound girl.

Im just overjoyed. This will make it much, much easier, she said.

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Bathroom makeover makes life easier for ailing girl