The family of an Ashton-under-Lyme boy are backing the launch of an appeal to provide specialist equipment for children with disabilities in Greater Manchester.

Seweryn Halas’ dad is so pleased with the specialist bed for his son that he is urging local people to help change the lives of other local children.

Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children has helped 241 families in Greater Manchester through equipment grants and loans totalling more than £194,117 so we know there is a very real local need.

That’s why Newlife – the largest charity funder of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness in the UK – has launched the Newlife Greater Manchester Fund – www.newlifecharity.co.uk/greatermanchester. It is an opportunity for local people to help local disabled children and every penny donated or fundraised in Greater Manchester is guaranteed to support families in the area.

In this way we aim to help more children, more quickly and right now we need £37,552 for 44 children in Greater Manchester.

Special disability equipment including wheelchairs, walkers, beds, seating and communication aids can help give children independence, keep them safe, relieve pain and overcome challenges. For instance, you could help a child be discharged from hospital, take their first steps or kick a football with their friends. . . .

You can help Newlife help more children like Seweryn (full story below) who was provided with a specialist bed that improves his night-time safety and meets essential care needs.

Together we can really change the lives of children with disability and terminal illness – supporting them to experience and enjoy life and all that we take for granted.

Statutory services in Greater Manchester often have a responsibility to make equipment provision – but when help is declined, Newlife steps in. The charity challenges many such decisions and has an impressive success rate. However, where we are unable to overturn these decisions, we provide the equipment ourselves through our range of grant and loan services. We do this with the support of front-line health professionals across Greater Manchester who have helped Newlife help local children in real need.

The Newlife Greater Manchester Fund supports equipment provision for under-19s facing any significant disability, whether acquired through birth defect, prematurity, accident or illness.

Vitally, the Greater Manchester Fund website – www.newlifecharity.co.uk/greatermanchester – will enable local people to find out who needs help in the area right now and highlight the support the charity gives vulnerable families. It includes contact details for the Newlife County Liaison Team – telephone number 01543 431 444 or email local@newlifecharity.co.uk – and shows specific ways people can help support children with disability and terminal illness and their families.

That might involve taking part in a local sporting challenge, give you information on how to organise a fundraising event – or even ask you to donate £5 today! Volunteers are also needed to help raise awareness of what we do and how we do it.

We hope that by launching the Newlife Greater Manchester Fund, children with disabilities or terminal illness in the area won’t have to go without the equipment they need for everyday life.

Newlife Foundation supports families in Greater Manchester through a range of free services:

Nurse-staffed helpline

Equipment grants

Emergency equipment loans

Sensory and developmental toy ‘pod’ loans.

LOCAL CHILD BENEFITS FROM NEW EQUIPMENT

A specialist bed is keeping four-year-old Seweryn Halas, from Ashton-under-Lyme, safe when he has night-time seizures.

New equipment for his son has made the world of difference to Ashton-under-Lyme dad Rafal Halas.

Seweryn is life threatened with very complex medical needs and requires a specialist bed as he has no head control and no independent mobility. The youngster also has frequent seizures that require rescue medication.

Without the £6,440 bed the four-year-old would be neither safe nor comfortable.

The cot bed allows Seweryn to have a safe sleep environment which also meets his medical and personal care needs.

“Now Newlife is supporting us caring for our little boy we are very happy,” said dad Rafal Halas.

“We received a grant for a special cot with positioning mattress to make Seweryn more comfortable.

“That equipment will help him with good body positioning for his body. The bed has special bumpers to keep Seweryn safe, especially during seizures.”

Stockport Foundation Trust also supported Seweryn and provided half of the funds required, £3,220.

Pictured: Seweryn Halas

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