PARENTS of disabled children are being given vital equipment and support, thanks to a partnership between two leading charities.
The Newlife Foundation and The Morgan Foundation have teamed up to provide help when parents are turned away by cash-strapped local authorities.
One of the youngsters to benefit from the partnership is nine-year-old Thomas Hughes, pictured, who can now play in his back garden in safety – thanks to a new specialist walker.
Thomas, who has epilepsy and has failed to meet many of his developmental milestones, is unable to walk unaided but gets around at school using specialist equipment. With no statutory funding available for a duplicate walker at his Flintshire home, Thomas’s parents contacted Newlife for help.
Mum Suzanne said: “Thomas loves the independence of using a walker at school and not having that freedom at home was very frustrating for him. He is able to crawl, but a feature of his condition is that he will try to eat anything – grass, leaves, dirt – so we have to be very careful.
“When he is in the walker he cannot reach things at ground level and it is also very important he has the opportunity to burn off some of his energy and get some exercise.”
With support from Newlife and the Morgan Foundation, Thomas received his own walker which cost £1,036.
Suzanne added: “As the spring weather breaks through we will be able to spend more time with Thomas out in the garden and at our local heritage park which is criss-crossed by pathways. It means he has an opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and get some exercise, too.
“For us, it removes some of the dangers of taking him out and for Thomas it means the opportunity to get a different view of the world at the same height as other children.
“It is reassuring to know that there are organisations like Newlife and the Morgan Foundation which offer vital support to families like ours.”
Do YOU need help . . .?
NEWLIFE nurses are there for you when you need them most.
They offer information on a range of issues including benefits and what to expect from your local healthcare team as well as guiding families through Newlife’s simple equipment application process.
Every call and email is dealt with confidentially. That’s why so many families keep in touch – in the good times as well as the bad.
Bolton mum Kate Settle says: “It’s good to know the Newlife Nurses are there.”
After months of battling for appropriate seating for her daughter, Kate contacted Newlife – and the right equipment was delivered within days.
Karen Dobson leads the Newlife nurse team. She says: “No query is too trivial. We understand that each child and family experience is unique, so our help is tailored to individual needs.”
The Newlife Nurse Helpline 0800 902 0095 (free from UK landlines) or email nurses@newlifecharity.co.uk
The Helpline is open Mondays to Fridays 9.30am to 5pm and until 7pm on Wednesdays.
There is also an instant messenger-style online Live Nurse Chat service available 24 hours a day, and the charity’s website – www.newlifecharity.co.uk – offers an instant translation service in 65 languages.
The Morgan Foundation, tel 01829 782800
www.morganfoundation.co.uk
