Latest Newlife News

MUM’S DESPERATE PLEA FOR DISABLED SON

Six-year-old Tymon Kwiatkowski from St Helen’s can’t walk, talk and is hooked up to oxygen 24-hours a day to combat chronic lung disease.  He is totally dependent on his Mum for his every need – day and night.

Tymon also has problems with his heart and kidneys so needs a host of medical equipment just to get him through each day; suction machine, sats monitor, oxygen and feeding tubes.  He also needs a specialist bed, big enough to accommodate all the equipment he needs, and that keeps him positioned to prevent him from choking.

Although Tymon has access to respite care, provided through St Helen’s Council, the centre doesn’t have a specialist bed, and the one he has at home is just too big and bulky to move.  It’s therefore impossible and unsafe for him to go – which means his Mum, Maggie, is constantly on call, utterly exhausted and at breaking point.

Now Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children are issuing an urgent plea to the local community to help raise £3,575 for a specialist portable bed so Tymon can go to respite and his mum can get a full night’s sleep – something she’s been unable to do for years.

“Until recently it was a challenge to keep Tymon out of hospital.  Now he’s more stable I’m able to take him to respite for a few hours.  He absolutely loves it, he gets to interact with other children and play in the specialist play area – it’s given him a real boost.

“However, without a portable specialist bed it’s just not safe for him to stay overnight, despite them being able to provide the care he needs.

“Overnight respite is something I know Tymon would love, he loves to be around other people.  It would also mean I could have a proper break which would help so much.”

Newlife’s Senior Manager for Care Services, Carrick Brown, said: “Looking after a child with complex needs such as Tymon is exhausting.  Simply being able to have a regular overnight break can make a vital difference to carers like Tymon’s mum. Having the opportunity to catch up on sleep and recharge can have a profound effect on both a carers’ emotional and physical capacity to care.

“We would love to give Tymon the bed he needs, but we simply don’t have the funds available right now. We are therefore appealing to the local community to help us raise the money we need so we can help Tymon and his mum as quickly as possible.”

If you’re able to help Tymon please contact Newlife urgently on 01543 431 444, visit the website at www.newlife.support/HelpTymon or email local@newlifecharity.co.uk.  You can also text NEWLIFE TYMON to 70500 to give £10 to Tymon’s appeal. Newlife will receive 100% of your donation. Texts cost £10 plus 1 message at your standard network rate. Always get the bill payers permission.

STOP PRESS: Thanks to a great community effort and lots of media support from Granada Reports and the St Helens Star we have now raised enough money for Tymon’s specialist bed.  

However, we still have another 34 children on our waiting list for specialist equipment in the North West region and need to raise £84,225 to help them all.  If you are able to help please call 01543 431 444, Text NEWLIFE NORTHWEST TO 70500 to donate £10 –  Newlife will receive 100% of your donation. Texts cost £10 plus 1 message at your standard network rate. Always get the bill payers permission. 

You can also visit the website at  https://newlifecharity.co.uk or email local@newlifecharity.co.uk