At the end of the school day and after many hours in his wheelchair, 13-year-old Haydon Lloyd can now looking forward to stretching out in comfort at home – thanks to provision of a specialist chair.

Haydon, from Silverdale in Newcastle under Lyme, has Cerebral Palsy and a metabolic condition that affects his breathing. He needs full postural support and, until recently, his only real alternative to his wheelchair at home was being propped up with cushions on the family sofa or sitting in an uncomfortable disability chair. Having had hip surgery and, more recently, an operation on his spine, it was clear Haydon needed a high-spec specialist chair – at a cost of £1,969 – but there was no funding available from local statutory services.

So Haydon’s mum, Donna Lloyd, turned for help to Staffordshire-based Newlife Foundation, the UK’s largest charity funder of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness.

Donna said: “The new seating is fantastic – and because it has remote controlled functions, Haydon can choose for himself whether he wants to be sitting up or lying down, which gives him a little bit of independence. Since his spinal surgery he can now stretch his arms over his head, which helps relieve some of the pain in his back, and the new chair will help with this, as well as supporting his hips.”

She added: “It means Haydon can now relax at home with the rest of the family.”

Haydon is the latest of more than 740 children with disabilities and terminal illness that Newlife has helped in Staffordshire, through provision of essential equipment costing £933,268. And Newlife is currently working with the families of another 15 children in Staffordshire with equipment needs totalling £3,447.

If you think you could join Newlife’s band of ‘local heroes’ and fundraise or donate to help children in the county, go to www.newlifecharity.co.uk/staffordshire or contact the Newlife County Liaison Team on 01543 431 444, email local@newlifecharity.co.uk.

For full details of Newlife Foundation’s range of practical support for disabled and terminally ill children and their families, call the Newlife Nurse Helpline – 0800 902 0095 (free from UK landlines and mobiles) – or go to: https://newlifecharity.co.uk

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