A six-year-old Cannock boy is now able to get to vital appointments as well as being able to go to school and attend fun family activities away from home, all thanks to a new specialist buggy.
On average Charlie Squire has 13 seizures a day, several times each week, and he has no awareness of danger. The buggy makes journeys much easier and improves quality of life for the whole family.
Charlie has learning difficulties and his condition means his joints move beyond their expected range. He tires easily and will drop to the floor and refuse to move so a buggy is vital. However, he has outgrown a pushchair that previously kept him safe when he went out. The new large buggy will ensure Charlie can enjoy family life, safely and in comfort.
The equipment cost £544 and was funded thanks to a partnership formed between Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children – the UK’s largest charity funder of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness – and The Morgan Foundation.
Mum Laura is delighted her son is now safe and sound in his buggy and able to see more of the world.
“Charlie was previously unable to sit in places like restaurants and he has no fear of danger,” Laura explained. “He needs to be in a buggy near roads as he could easily get run over.
“As Charlie does not speak he can’t always let you know of his problems and he could have a seizure at any time.
“He’s really happy now – he can go out and visit different places. In some ways he was previously like a prisoner in his own home.”
The Morgan Foundation is working with Newlife to ensure more children with disabilities and terminal illness 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 last 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 Charlie can get out of the house and move around in safety, putting his parents’ worries at ease.
“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 is a national charity working extensively with families across the region and has funded in excess of £13million of disability equipment for under-19s in the UK since 2005. A total of £933,426 has been spent on 747 children in Staffordshire.
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.
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 0800 902 0095 (free from UK landlines and mobiles) or go to www.newlifecharity.co.uk.
Pictured: Charlie Squire
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