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Portland, Maine

UNE faculty, students volunteer at annual youth bike camp for children with disabilities

A group of UNE physical therapy students and faculty pose with a child surrounded by bikes
Students from UNE's Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program and health professions faculty volunteered at the weeklong event.

A group of students and faculty from the University of New England’s Westbrook College of Health Professions (WCHP) recently volunteered at a service-learning camp to provide bicycling training to local children with disabilities. 

UNE’s Elizabeth Cyr, PT, D.P.T., D.H.Sc., assistant clinical professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and a pediatric physical therapist, partnered with the nonprofit organization iCan Shine to host the iCan Bike Camp from July 8 to 12. The iCan Bike program offers a weeklong learn-to-ride camp to teach children with disabilities how to ride a two-wheeled bicycle. 

The program is one of several iCan Shine initiatives designed to enrich and impact the lives of people with disabilities through adaptive recreational opportunities. According to the organization, evidence indicates that the vast majority of individuals with disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome, will never learn to ride a traditional two-wheel bike. 

The evidence-based iCan Bike program uses adaptive equipment, motor learning principles, and lots of volunteer power to support children in learning to ride a bike, said Cyr, who led the camp at the Casco Bay Arena in Falmouth, Maine. 

“The camp is about so much more than learning to ride a bike,” Cyr said. “The program helps participants build self-confidence, increase self-efficacy, gain independence, improve health behaviors, and address social inclusion. Parents and volunteers learn valuable lessons about what the riders are capable of achieving in such a short period of time. The program is pure joy.” 

The first iCan Bike camp in Maine was held in 2021. Since then, UNE has partnered with iCan Shine to host four consecutive camps, serving 128 individuals with disabilities and receiving support from over 200 volunteers, including students from various fields of study, including UNE’s Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program.

“It’s so fulfilling to get to be a part of helping the campers learn to ride bikes. Seeing the joy and excitement they have was amazing,” reflected Anna Savage (D.P.T., ’26). “Anyone who is able should try to volunteer because it gives such a different perspective into a sport that I have loved my whole life and many take for granted.”

The event has also engaged several community sponsors to provide financial support to help run the camp and provide scholarships for families. This year, Pineland Farms Natural Meats provided a $5,000 donation, which supported a record 10 camp scholarships.

A young boy rides a bike inside a gymnasium
A young girl rides a bike inside a gymnasium
Bikes of various colors are lined up in a row

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.