Reagan Tokasz is just like any other 16-year-old; she loves Harry Styles, Star Wars, Marvel movies, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, traveling, going to school, and learning new things.
She was born with a rare genetic condition called partial sclerocornea, a congenital anomaly of the eye in which the cornea blends with whites of her eyes. She also has cornea plana, which is another congenital condition where her cornea is flattened. Both eye conditions have caused Reagan to be visually impaired and without depth perception. Her mother Cheryl Tokasz recalls that when Reagan was about 3 months old, she got her first pair of glasses and as soon as they put them on her, she immediately smiled because she could see!
Cheryl and her husband Jeff have done everything they can to help Reagan live a normal life, regardless of her diagnosis. Throughout her childhood she participated in different sports and activities, but Reagan struggled at times because of her vision issues and other developmental delays. When Reagan was around 10 years old, her Physical Therapist Leah Clendening told Cheryl about an equine program that works with people that have disabilities and could be a potential opportunity for Reagan to grow her skills. Reagan then enrolled with the Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Knox DD) to help get involved in the Shane Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship, as well as other opportunities that wouldn’t have been an option without the assistance from Knox DD.
The Shane Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship is a state-of-the-art therapeutic equestrian facility that provides an opportunity for people with developmental disabilities a chance to learn about horse safety skills, caring for the animals and how to safely handle the horses. Their programs establish short and long-term goals to ensure each participant receives a fulfilling experience tailored to their needs. When Reagan first started this program, she needed a volunteer on each side of her and a horse handler to lead the horse through the arena. Now when you watch her, she can ride during her sessions all by herself! They currently have 7 different horses that they use for their lessons, one of which is Maggie. Maggie is a sweet 20-year-old Haflinger that has a lifetime of experience as a show horse. Reagan and Maggie have developed a beautiful bond as Reagan has improved her skills. Reagan says that “Maggie is a very sweet girl! She likes cuddles and is easy to ride.”
Each session, Reagan must start with grooming Maggie by brushing her and using the hoof pick to ensure Maggie is clean and ready for the lesson. Reagan then takes Maggie for a walk around the arena, then puts her bridle, reins, saddle pad and saddle on. Once Maggie is ready, Reagan has assistance getting on and getting her stirrups adjusted. Reagan and Maggie trot around the arena like they are pros.
Since Reagan has been doing equine therapy, she has increased muscle strength, balance, posture, focus and better trunk control. She has been able to have fun, have meaningful friendships, and learn responsibility through this program.
While Reagan has made wonderful progress with her equine therapy, she was regressing in some other areas of her life. Her parents suspected that her increasing developmental delays were caused by something more than her low vision and they knew that she needed further testing to determine the cause. When she was 11 years old, she had an MRI and genetic testing done which led to a central nervous system disorder diagnosis which is progressive in nature. Since receiving this diagnosis, her family has taken on a new philosophy in life: to make today the best it can be. They do everything in their power to ensure Reagan is as healthy and happy as she possibly can be. They take her to the hockey games, Disney World, vacations, equine therapy, and anything else that she shows an interest in, they do their best to make it a reality.
Cheryl believes that having a core team around her family has been crucial to helping Reagan live the best life she can. She said, “Reagan started receiving services at 3 months old from Help Me Grow, then moved on to preschool at New Hope, and she is now a sophomore at East Knox. I know that we couldn’t have gotten better care or a better team of people to support and encourage Reagan anywhere else. She was never a number. We have always felt so cared for in Knox County. Everyone on her team seems so invested in her and in our family. A lot of the people that were with us at the start of this journey have stayed connected to Reagan and our family through her entire life. With equine therapy, they will do everything they can to accommodate your child to make them safe. Knox DD is there to help provide things that we would have struggled to provide on our own. It was priceless to be able to offer Reagan that opportunity.”
Cheryl then said, “We live life for now. Today may be our day of greatest health and I do not want us to waste today worrying about tomorrow. We find opportunities that can both fulfill us physically and emotionally and give us a sense of accomplishment. Part of wanting to give Reagan everything means that we also want to give her a chance to grow, learn, and succeed. You want your child to have what we all desire, whether they have special needs or not. We want her to feel the joy that comes with doing something that she has succeeded at, something she is getting better at, that is making her stronger. It’s important to give your child those opportunities. Everyone deserves to feel that sense of accomplishment. Finding an organization that helps you with that is a gift.”
