A New Year gift of a specialist car seat will keep three-year-old Leon Thompson, from Codsall near Wolverhampton, safe and comfortable during trips out with his family. (Delivery will be just a couple of days after his fourth birthday on January 3, 2017)
Leon has Cerebral Palsy which affects muscle tone in his body and causes his legs to spasm. Because of this, it has become increasingly difficult to get him in and out of his standard car seat; additionally, the seat doesn’t offer the postural support Leon needs to help prevent further health issues.
He needs a specialist car seat with a swivel base and head and lateral supports, but with the equipment costing £742 and no funding available from statutory services mum Kasia Thompson turned to Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children for help. Newlife is the UK’s largest charity provider of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness.
Now, with support from fundraisers at West Midlands Fire Service and Walsall Saddlers Rotary Club, Leon is set to get his specialist seating in January.
Mum Kasia said: “Leon loves being in the car but the seat he currently has just isn’t providing the right support for him to be comfortable. And because of the stiffness in his legs we have to try and bend him to get him into the vehicle. As he is getting bigger and heavier, we now need a bit of help – and the new car seat will make a huge difference to Leon.”
Staff at Leon’s special needs nursery referred the Thompsons to Newlife as the charity has supported a number of other pupils.
Newlife – which is based in Cannock – has provided more than £1,042,090 of specialist equipment for 944 disabled and terminally ill children in Staffordshire. This includes wheelchairs and walkers for mobility and specialist beds and hoists for safety.
Right now, the charity is working with a further 92 families in the county with additional equipment needs totalling £75,143. So if you would like to help a local child, go to: www.newlifecharity.co.uk/staffordshire and donate. Alternatively, the Newlife County Liaison Team can be contacted on 01543 431 444, email local@newlifecharity.co.uk.
Newlife guarantees that 100 per cent of any donation or fundraising will be used to provide equipment for children in the county of your choice.
Pictured: Leon Thompson
Web: https://newlifecharity.co.uk
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