Pink custom trike a dream come true for 12-year-old Syrian refugee with cerebral palsy

A 12-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, who came to Winnipeg with her parents and five siblings as Syrian refugees, has her own brand-new customized trike thanks to the generosity of Manitobans.

Elham Albakar was presented with the pink three-wheel adaptive trike at her school, George Waters Middle School, on Tuesday morning.

Pink custom bike a dream come true

8 years ago

Duration 0:44

A 12-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, who came to Winnipeg with her parents and five siblings as Syrian refugees, has her own brand-new customized trike thanks to the generosity of Manitobans.

The trike was designed by Winnipeg-based Freedom Concepts and presented to Elham by the Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba and the Winnipeg Goldeyes Field of Dreams Foundation.

"Just to see her smile and, you know, her actually pedalling that bicycle on her own, it's truly amazing," said Evan Paterson of Freedom Concepts.

"For me, that never wears off. It's just as exciting each and every time."

Elham and her family fled their home in Aleppo amid the ongoing conflict in Syria, in December 2015 and eventually settled in Winnipeg. This past winter, she went to school for the first time in her life.

Speaking through a translator, Elham's father, Yaser Albakar, said his daughter is thrilled and happy that she can move around more easily.

Elham has used small children's bikes in the past, but the new trike is the first one designed for her, he said.