A specialist bed for a seven-year-old from Great Harwood means better nights’ sleep for the rest of his family.
Kayden Duffy has Autistic Spectrum Disorder and wakes frequently throughout the night. His brother Liam, aged 14, is severely autistic and has learning difficulties so the two boys can’t share a bedroom, as neither would settle, therefore Kayden sleeps in in his parents’ room.
Kayden’s sleep pattern in a standard single bed had become so disruptive that dad Lee, who drives a lot for his job, had been sleeping on the settee for several months. Mum Amanda Duffy said: “It was far from ideal – but then our social worker told us about SafeSpace Voyagers which provide a comforting environment for children like Kayden and encourage sleep. The Voyager replaces Kayden’s bed in our room, and because Kayden wakes less often Lee doesn’t have to sleep on the settee anymore.”
With the equipment costing £2,500 and no funding available from local statutory services, the family were advised to apply to independent organisations for help. Now Newlife, the Charity for Disabled Children, has provided half of the necessary funding – and the equipment was delivered last week.
Newlife is the UK’s largest charity provider of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness and has supported 446 under-19s in Lancashire with equipment totalling £529,560.
Newlife has been able to help Kayden and his family thanks to the support of Lancashire fundraiser Mick Ainscow, from Chorley, who powered through a two-day 50 mile (84 km) challenge in the Sahara Desert to raise an amazing £2,400. His fundraising has also helped two other disabled children in the county.
Amanda said: “We are extremely grateful for Mick doing such a fantastic challenge for such a great cause! We would love to thank him as it has made our lives so much easier, especially having two autistic boys!
Mick celebrated his 54th birthday the day after completing the walking challenge in Morocco’s Draa Valley in October (2016).
Mick said: “It was certainly a tough one given the heat involved – 36 degrees on the first day and 32 degrees the day after. I did feel a real sense of achievement in getting to the finish though, knowing that every penny of the money raised is being put to extremely good use by the charity to help children right here in Lancashire.”
To find out more about how Newlife supports families in the county, go to: www.newlifecharity.co.uk/lancashire. The charity is currently working with a further 23 families in the county – to find out how you could help, go to the website or alternatively contact the Newlife County Liaison Team on 01543 431 444, email local@newlifecharity.co.uk.
Newlife guarantees that 100 per cent of monies donated or fundraised in Lancashire will be used to specifically help children with disabilities and terminal illness in the county.
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