In order for nine-year-old Emma Birch-Horn to spend time away from the family home she needs special inflatable safe sides for the bed to keep her safe at night. Now Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children is appealing to local heroes in Nottinghamshire to help give Emma the special equipment she needs.
The inflatable safe sides with all-round protection costs £1,070. As there is no local statutory funding available the family have turned to Newlife the UK’s leading charity provider of essential equipment to meet the needs of children with disabilities and terminal illness. Nottingham based business Everything TC, a telecoms provider, is kindly donating £500 towards the equipment leaving £570 left to fund.
Emma, from Edwalton has a chromosomal abnormality resulting in the deletion of the number 15 chromosome. Because of this she has global developmental delay, hypermobility, which means she has extra movement of her joints, and low muscle tone.
At home, Emma sleeps in a special bed which meets her health needs. Emma likes to roll and is a very active sleeper, she cannot sleep in a standard bed as there is a risk of her falling, and bashing her arms and legs or getting trapped.
Mum Janine Birch-Horn said: “It’s become virtually impossible to take Emma away for respite because there isn’t a safe place for her to sleep. In the past we would put a mattress on the floor with baby sides around it, but Emma is too big for that now.”
Emma is unable to crawl or walk and having no awareness of danger, being non-verbal with limited understanding and communication skills makes it difficult for Janine to explain things that can potentially put her in harm’s way.
Janine said: “This new bed is essential for Emma’s health but it would also benefit the quality of life for us as a family because we could go away together knowing she is safe.”
Newlife has a dedicated Nottinghamshire Fund – https://newlifecharity.co.uk/Nottinghamshire – which gives local people the opportunity to help local disabled children. Every penny donated or fundraised in the county is guaranteed to support families in the area.
Newlife guarantees that 100 per cent of the money donated to help Emma will be used to fund her specialist travel bed. Any funds raised above the amount needed for Emma will help provide equipment for other disabled children in Nottinghamshire.
The charity is currently working a total of 27 families in the area with equipment needs totalling £12,545.
The website includes contact details for the Newlife County Liaison Team – 01543 431 44401543 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 in the county.
Pictured: Emma Birch-Horn
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