A SIMPLE piece of specialist equipment will mean positive health benefits for two-year-old R-Jay Lovell
R-Jay, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, will be able to help improve his posture and spinal alignment through use of a standing frame – thanks to a charity partnership between The Morgan Foundation and Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children.
R-Jay has no independent mobility and is registered blind, relying on mum Leanne Bullock for all aspects of care.
She said: “He is not able to weight-bear, which is affecting his posture, bone density, the condition of his muscles and his digestion. Being able to stand, safely supported, in the frame regularly will help with all this as well as developing his head control.”
R-Jay has been able to trial a standing frame, recommended by his physiotherapist.
Leanne said: “He was really happy in it – he didn’t want to come out.”
With the standing frame costing £1,774 – and no local authority funding available – Leanne, from Chester, turned to leading UK children’s disability charity Newlife Foundation for help. Thanks to Newlife’s current partnership with The Morgan Foundation, the equipment was promptly placed on order.
The Morgan Foundation is working with Newlife to ensure more disabled and terminally ill children get the right equipment at the right time. This includes wheelchairs, buggies and walkers for mobility, specialist car seats and beds for safety and a range of other disability equipment including communication aids, walking frames, portable hoists and seating systems.
A Morgan Foundation fundraising golf day and gala dinner in support of Newlife held earlier this year raised £450,000 to provide vital specialist equipment specifically for families across North Wales, Merseyside, West Cheshire, North Shropshire and parts of the West Midlands.
Steve Morgan, chairman of The Morgan Foundation, said: “Having a vital aid like this means the health prospects of children like R-Jay can be improved. Everyone who took part in our golf day or attended the gala dinner has helped – and will continue to help – make a real difference.”
Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children is a national charity which works extensively with families across the region and has funded in excess of £11million of disability equipment for under-19s in the UK since 2005. £414,138 of this has been in Cheshire.
Newlife CEO Sheila Brown added: “As local authority budget cuts continue to bite, more and more families are turning to charities like Newlife so their children can get vital equipment for everyday life.
“Having the support of The Morgan Foundation is an enormous boost for Newlife. We look forward to helping to transform more lives across The Morgan Foundation catchment area. Anyone struggling to access equipment through their statutory services should call our Newlife Nurse Helpline to discuss their individual situation.”
For further information about The Morgan Foundation visit the website, www.morganfoundation.co.uk or call 01829 782800.
Since this partnership was launched in May, the Morgan Foundation has funded 76 items of specialist equipment in its catchment area and helped provide four items of emergency loan equipment to life-limited children.
If you would like to find out more about Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children and how to access its services, call the Newlife Nurse Helpline on freephone 0800 902 0095 or go to www.newlifecharity.co.uk.
