The family of Bathgate girl Chloe Dyet are backing the launch of an appeal to provide specialist equipment for children with disabilities in West Lothian.

Chloe’s mum Margaret is so pleased that her daughter is getting the specialist bed she needs to keep her safe at night that she is urging local people to help change the lives of other local children.

Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children has helped 16 families in West Lothian through equipment grants and loans totalling £18,525, so we know there is a very real county need.

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

In this way we aim to help more children, more quickly.

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 Chloe (full story below) who was provided with a specialist bed that keeps her safe and allows her mum to sleep.

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 West Lothian 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 West Lothian who have helped Newlife help local children in real need.

The Newlife West Lothian Fund will support equipment provision for under-19s facing any significant disability, whether acquired through birth defect, prematurity, accident or illness.

Vitally, the West Lothian Fund website – www.newlifecharity.co.uk/westlothian – will enable local people to find out who needs help in the county 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 West Lothian Fund, children with disabilities or terminal illness in the county won’t have to go without the equipment they need for everyday life.

Newlife Foundation supports families in West Lothian through a range of free services:

Nurse-staffed helpline

Equipment grants

Emergency equipment loans

Sensory and developmental toy ‘pod’ loans.

MAKE LOCAL CHILDREN’S LIVES BETTER

New equipment funded by Newlife will make the world of difference to Chloe and mum Margaret who has feared a repeat of a frightening incident. Her daughter managed to get out of the house in the middle of the night and walk to a shop two streets away. Since then Margaret has been desperate for a specialist bed for Chloe to prevent her getting out again.

Chloe has Downs Syndrome and Associated Congenital Heart Disease that gives symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Margaret is reluctant to leave her seven-year-old daughter alone in her room overnight as she manages to climb over child gates and go downstairs. Her mum fears for her safety as previously she has bitten herself as well as hitting and biting others.

Newlife is providing a ‘safe and sound’ bed, which will give Chloe an appropriate safe place to sleep. The bed will withstand Chloe’s habit of biting and allows mum to sleep in her own room knowing her daughter is unable to move round the house.

“Chloe got out and went two streets away to a shop in the middle of the night while we were sleeping and locked us in the house,” explained Margaret, who also cares for a 19-year-son with disabilities.

“I can’t put her in bed at night and get any sleep – I am a single parent and can’t even go for a bath without worrying.

“We have been fighting for help for a while and Sleep Scotland put us on to Newlife.”

A specialist bed has been ordered by Newlife and Chloe will be able to sleep in safety while her mum has peace of mind. Margaret’s search for funding for the much needed bed had drawn a blank, so the charity is paying the equipment costs of £5,077 in full.

Pictured: Chloe Dyet

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