Having the right equipment at the right time can make a world of difference to the life of a disabled child. To mark Disability Awareness Day 2024 on Sunday, July 14, we hand over to 16-year-old Rhys from London to talk about the impact equipment has made, not only on his life, but on the lives of his family too.
Rhys, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy affecting all four limbs, said: “After coming home from hospital in November 2022, following major surgery, my new portable hoist provided by Newlife had been delivered and dad had set this up ready to go.
It was a real worry before my op as I didn’t have any equipment to help, and I was so scared I’d either get stuck in hospital or that it would hurt having my mum and dad constantly trying to lift me.
“The hoist was brilliant it meant I could be safely and gently moved between my bed, chair and bathroom. I’d never had this before, so it made me really happy. It was also so nice not to see my parents’ struggle. Being unable to walk and a full wheelchair user I am fully dependent on equipment to make life easier and more independent.
“Even though I’ve made a full recovery from surgery, my hoist is still a daily part of my life, from waking up and getting into my wheelchair for the day to getting in and out of the bathroom. I don’t actually know how we would cope without it as I’m a lot taller and heavier now, so I just can’t be lifted.
“As Newlife provided me with a portable hoist it’s been brilliant, as life is not just restricted to my home. We’ve have been able to take it on family holidays, days out and – most importantly for me – it comes to my football training every week. This is my means to safely transfer into a sports wheelchair from my daily wheelchair.
This gives me the ability to have fun and live life doing the things I enjoy most and not have to worry about painful transfers anymore. Life is not easy as a teenage boy with a disability, but my hoist has really made a big difference for us all.”
Any family that would like to discover more about the services Newlife can offer can visit ourwebsite here
