Marion Wilm OTR/L C/NDT is the most experienced and tenured occupational therapist at Child and Family Development and works at our Pineville office.  Over her 20+ year career, she has helped many children and teens become more adept at everyday tasks, like dressing, that are referred to as Activities of Daily Living (ADL) by occupational therapists.  She has seen tremendous changes in related products and technology, including this story of Huffington Post.  

The article by Lucy McCalmont tells the story of a young man with cerebral palsy who gained much function and independence over the years but struggled with shoes- getting them on and off, tying them, etc.  His frustration eventually led to a collaboration with Nike, starting with a letter he sent to the company while in high school in 2012.  “What resulted in the three years since was a partnership between Walzer and Hatfield‚Äôs team at Nike that culminated…with the company‚Äôs unveiling of the Zoom Soldier 8 Flyease. The shoe is the first of its kind for the company, and perhaps any athletic brand specifically designed and dedicated to help those with disabilities and difficulties of buying and wearing shoes.”

Click the link to the story to get the full history, see a video about design and production and more.