Eight-month-old Isaiah Gordon has a complex condition which makes travelling in the car to his many medical appointments very uncomfortable and distressing. But now the support of fabulous fundraisers in the county means he will soon be getting the specialist car seat he needs to keep him safe and comfortable.
Isaiah – who lives in Biddulph, Staffordshire – has West Syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy which also causes intellectual disabilities, combined with dystonia, a movement disorder that can cause unusual, awkward and sometimes painful postures. He was diagnosed after spending 12 weeks in hospital earlier this year.
Mum Naomi Alcock said: “Isaiah isn’t able to hold his head up, so it drops sideways and forwards when we are travelling. That, combined with his frequent uncontrolled movements which involve him arching his back, means he gets very distressed during all journeys. If we have to drive for an hour, he will cry for an hour – it doesn’t stop. No parent wants to hear their baby in such distress, but we have to go out in the car because Isaiah has so many medical appointments.”
Isaiah’s physiotherapist recommended a special-needs car seat for him. It has lots of extra padding and head support together with a pommel so he will be appropriately positioned in the seat, as well as a five-point harness to help keep him safe.
Naomi said: “Isaiah has been able to trial the equipment. He sat in it, content and smiling, which is a first for a car seat. It was lovely to see that he wasn’t upset at all. A huge thank you and well done to all the fundraisers at Briggs and Newlife for enabling this!”
However, this equipment costs £1,158 – and with no local statutory funding available Naomi turned to Staffordshire-based Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children.
Newlife is the UK’s largest charity provider of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness.
With the support of Briggs Equipment, in Cannock, Isaiah will soon be getting his new car seat.
Briggs Equipment is supporting Newlife throughout 2017, as its chosen Charity of the Year. Staff are taking part in a series of fundraising events throughout 2017; so far, ten children, including Isaiah, have benefitted from Briggs’ support of Newlife.
Briggs Equipment Managing Director Peter Jones said: “Our charity activity is very important to us and we are proud to make a difference to families who need help. Newlife is a very worthy cause and we are privileged to be able to see the direct results of all our efforts.”
During the coming summer, 22 members of the company’s Cannock team are taking a leap of faith – tackling a skydiving challenge to raise further vital funding to help disabled and terminally ill children. The sponsored tandem skydives will take place at Tilstock airfield in Shropshire during July (29th), August (12th) and September (9th).
Newlife’s Deputy Community Fundraising Manager Chris Fielding said: “The staff at Briggs have really embraced the Newlife fundraising challenge.”
To find out more about how Newlife helps families in the county, go to:www.newlifecharity.co.uk/staffordshire
Pictured: Isaiah Gordon
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