The London businessman who worked on the stunning tribute to David Bowie at the Brit Awards in February has donated his fee to help a four-year-old with Down’s Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy have a safe place to sleep.
Sam Pattinson owns Treatment Studio and along with his creative team Warren Chapman, Lizzie Pocock, Damian Hale and David Shepherd they create show designs for bands and have worked with musicians including Adele, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, U2 and Ed Sheeran. Sam donated his fee to Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, the UK’s largest charity provider of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness.
Mr Pattinson’s generous £3,165 donation meant that Newlife was able to provide a special bed for Dominic Bakunas from Leyton, which has already made a huge difference to his life.
Dominic was born with Down’s Syndrome and then developed Cerebral Palsy as a result of having a cardiac arrest when he was three months old. He isn’t able to sit up or walk, but can commando crawl. After outgrowing his cot Dominic was sleeping with his parents, Vira and Audrius Bakunas, so they could keep him safe at night, but the special bed means he can now go back into his own room and his parents have peace of mind that he is safe.
Mum Vira said: “This bed has made our lives so much easier and we would like to say a big thank you to Mr Pattinson – especially from little Dominic.
“The bed keeps Dominic safe and you can adjust the backrest which has already stopped his reflux. The bed is also height adjustable which means it is a lot easier for us to transfer him in and out. We feel more rested as a family now – and we have got our own bed back. Dominic wakes earlier than we do, but now he will happily play for half-an-hour – it’s a big change!
“The bed will grow with Dominic too, so we know he will be able to sleep safely in this bed until he is 16 or 17. What Mr Pattinson has done for us is amazing.”
This is the second time Sam has donated money to Newlife Foundation to fund a bed after initially contacting the charity when he saw a newspaper appeal from the charity to fund a special bed for a boy in Brixton, near Camberwell where he grew up.
He said: “There was a photograph of the boy who needed a bed and he reminded me of my own son. I phoned up and said I would donate whatever was outstanding to fund the bed. I couldn’t believe it when I found out only £20 had been pledged. I thought that was very sad.
“I decided to make another donation to Newlife while working on the tribute to David Bowie for the Brit Awards. I have been a fan of his since I was a kid and found working on the tribute sad and wonderful at the same time, but it felt really strange to be profiting from it, so I decided to take the fee, add to it and donate it to Newlife Foundation. There’s something very nurturing and natural to me about funding a bed; every child needs a safe place to sleep.
“I want to be successful and for my family to have everything they need, but you don’t need all the money – you can help others and with Newlife Foundation it’s very direct and I like that. I can buy an item specifically for a child which will make a difference to their lives. It’s an easy process, it’s reassuring to me that I know where the money is going and it’s something I hope to continue to do.”
Nora Smith, Head of Community Fundraising and Appeals, said: “This is a wonderful and generous gift that Sam has been able to donate. The impact on Dominic’s life and his parents is remarkable. It’s only through people like Sam that Newlife can continue its vital work.”
Newlife Foundation has already helped 733 children in the Greater London area with funding of £954,285. Right now, there are another 52 children with disabilities and terminal illness in Greater London with equipment needs totalling £25,667. If you think you could help, go to the website www.newlifecharity.co.uk/greaterlondon and click on the Donate button. Alternatively, contact the Newlife County Liaison Team on 01543 431 444. Newlife guarantees that 100 per cent of the money donated to the Greater London fund will help provide specialist equipment for children in the county.
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
Pictured (L to R): Sam Pattinson, Warren Chapman, Lizzie Pocock, Damian Hale and Dave Shepherd
Pictured: Dominic Bakunas
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