ODESSA, Fla. – A partnership between Quantum Leap Farm and the 1Voice Foundation has provided free equine therapy for around 300 kids battling pediatric cancer.
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“Horses are trained by smell. They can smell fear. They can smell joy. They can smell anxiousness, and that comes through each time these kids ride,” 1Voice Foundation Executive Director Mary Ann Massolio said.
The partnership recently celebrated its 15th anniversary. Currently, 12 kids are enrolled, riding horses every Tuesday. Riders are paired with trainers, as they learn basic commands and skills, all while receiving the benefits of being on a horse.
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A partnership between Quantum Leap Farm and the 1Voice Foundation has provided free equine therapy for around 300 kids battling pediatric cancer. <!–>
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“Horses are warm. We call them heating blankets with legs,” Massolio said. “Just the motion of riding, you know, how therapeutic that is for your spine.”
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Six-year-old Selene has been riding since 2023. After having emergency surgery to remove a herniated tumor, Selene lost all motor functions.
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“She couldn’t move. She had no control over her legs, mouth, her eyes,” Selene’s mother, Claire Raines, said. “It was pretty traumatizing.”
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A partnership between Quantum Leap Farm and the 1Voice Foundation has provided free equine therapy for around 300 kids battling pediatric cancer. –> <!–>
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The family got in contact with 1Voice early on. Selene only rode a toy horse during her first visit. Now, she loves riding a horse named Waffles.
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“Her posture has improved 100%, which in turn, her voice is more steady,” Raines said. “She’s very self-aware, so she can notice her changes as well.”
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Massolio describes Selene’s journey as one of the best examples of the benefits of equine therapy. It’s one of the first programs offered by the foundation, which now provides over 20 different no-cost programs for families who are battling pediatric cancer in West Central Florida.
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A partnership between Quantum Leap Farm and the 1Voice Foundation has provided free equine therapy for around 300 kids battling pediatric cancer. –> <!–>
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Quantum Leap Farm opened in 2000. Around 1,200 riders visit the farm each year.
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“Some of it just is this environment that’s very relaxing,” Quantum Leap Farm Founder Edie Dopking said. “It’s much easier to talk about what’s going on with the horses. There’s a lot of projection, and people that come in groups find that they are challenged by similar issues, so there’s some very therapeutic conversations that go on.”
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Both organizations rely heavily on fundraising through donations, grants and community events.
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For more information on Quantum Leap Farm, click here. For the 1Voice Foundation, click here.
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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13 photojournalist Barry Wong.
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