A specialist bed to keep her young daughter safe at night is a ‘life-saver’ for South Ruislip mum Caroline Murray.
Caroline’s daughter Evie, aged three, has a rare genetic condition called Idic 15 combined with low muscle tone and increased joint mobility as well as being on the autistic spectrum. One of four children, she is fully mobile but falls frequently and has no awareness of danger.
Keeping Evie safe at night was a big problem for the family, because she would climb over the side of her cot and ‘could be up to anything’, said Caroline. Not only that, but on more than one occasion she got an arm or leg trapped in the cot rails. Despite Evie sleeping in her parents’ bedroom, they were concerned they couldn’t keep her free from harm.
After trialling a special high sided bed – which Evie also climbed out of – the family were advised to consider a piece of equipment called a SafeSpace, only to discover this would cost several thousands of pounds. So with the support of Evie’s occupational therapist, the family contacted Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children for help.
Newlife is the UK’s largest charity provider of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness.
Newlife offers a range of equipment provision services and had a SafeSpace (a room within a room) available through its Newlifeable – www.newlifeable.co.uk – service, which takes redundant equipment and refurbishes it to national standards for reuse.
Caroline said: “We received the equipment within two or three weeks. It is brilliant and means Evie has now moved out of our bedroom. She is more comfortable as she has more space now and is sleeping better. It’s a huge relief to know she is now safe at night so her dad and I are getting more sleep too. The equipment is a life-saver.”
Newlife has provided £1,007,175 of specialist equipment for 821 children with disabilities and terminal illness in Greater London; however, it is currently working with a further 69 families in the capital with equipment needs totalling £67,170. If you think you could donate or fundraise to help a local child go to: www.newlifecharity.co.uk/greaterlondon. Alternatively, contact the Newlife County Liaison Team on 01543 431 444 or email local@newlifecharity.co.uk.
Newlife guarantees that 100 per cent of all monies donated or fundraised in the Greater London area will be used to provide specialist equipment for local children.
To contact the Newlife Nurse Helpline, call 0800 902 0095 (free from UK landlines and mobiles) or email nurse@newlifecharity.co.uk.
Pictured: Evie Murray
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