Jackson Cunningham, from Oakwood, Illinois, is no ordinary 11 year old. He suffered a stroke when he was 8 that left him unable to move a muscle on his left side. The resulting foot drop and his overall instability caused Jackson to frequently stumble and trip. Jackson was at high risk of falling and sustaining serious injuries that could have increased the chance for impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions and without sufficient exercise, muscles atrophy and lose strength and mass, which can lead to significant loss of limb function. Denied by insurance, the Cunningham’s turned to Variety of Illinois, which granted Jackson a WalkAide Functional Electrical Stimulation System, which improved his walking ability.

“In my 22-year career as a broadcaster in Southern California, I have never taken up a personal cause. While a battle for power rages in Kiev, I am working with Variety International to support the forgotten Ukranian orphans. Through our efforts, 450 kids in Beregovo, near the Hungarian border, received food, coats and shoes to survive the cold Ukrainian winter. The next project is to build dormitories for these kids. They, truly, have nothing. My intention is to do everything I can to help Variety International make a huge difference in these kids' lives” – Steve Mason