(Submitted photo/Darren Flaata)

By Ben Tompkins

Family Bonding

Melfort father making fishing accessible for daughter with cerebral palsy

Aug 17, 2023 | 11:27 AM

A northeast dad is doing everything he can to allow his daughter to participate in family activities.

Darren Flaata has constructed a specialized lift on his boat that allows his 18-year-old daughter Cadence, who was born with cerebral palsy, to get on board despite being in a wheelchair.

The Melfort man has also purchased a specialized fishing rod that Cadence can reel in with a head switch.

“We have an adapted fishing reel that was made with thumb assists so people that had little mobility could reel in. I kind of hacked it so that she can control it with a button switch that she presses with her head and the lines are reeled in,” Flaata told northeastNOW. “We also have a ramp on the front of the boat which retracts underneath, so we can load and unload her.”

With the fishing, Darren casts it out for Cadence, before giving her the reigns. They do a lot of trolling and when she catches one, they get up quickly, and she starts pressing the button.

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Flaata explained it’s fairly simple for her to use and it only takes four double A batteries, so it’s not anything big or cumbersome.

He also said fishing has been a family activity of his since he was a kid, and it’s nothing short of amazing that he can share that with her.

“For our whole lives… just to have her included in that and taking part in and fishing and being part of that sport is family bonding. She enjoys it too, she uses an iPad for communication because she’s nonverbal, but she’s able to speak and say what she’s really enjoying and having fun doing.”

Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time that Cadence’s father has adapted something so that she can feel included.

Darren constructed a bow and arrow for her, which she shoots in a similar way to the fishing rod, so she can do some archery. They also go winter skiing together, ice fishing together, and they even have a specialized golf cart.

“We’ve adopted quite a few things over the years for her, just to kind of be inclusive and get out and kind of do the same things the other kids do. I guess I just always had kind of a knack for trying to adapt different things. When she was born, we were pretty pushed on trying to make sure she was included in a lot of things, so over the years we’ve made quite a few things,” added Flaata.

“We’re always on the go and making sure she’s involved in everything she can be. We’re pretty close and we do a lot of different things together and just to open up that world to her, as a father, it means a lot to me. She’s involved with us and takes part in 90 per cent of the things that we do.”

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news@northeastnow.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8