A children’s disability charity is urgently appealing for help to fund vital disability equipment for 41 children - including a six-year-old girl from Bromley with Down's syndrome.
Six-year-old Katherine McCann urgently needs a specialist buggy costing £735 - contributing to £52,000 of equipment on the Newlife charity's waiting list.
Katherine, from Bromley, has undergone open heart surgery which has delayed her development and low muscle tone which causes her to become easily tired and unable to walk far – but the buggy she relies on to get around is now far too small and damaged.
The buggy is at breaking point, leaving her family fearing they will be limited in where they can go and what they can do, with no way to keep her safe when they are outside.
Katherine’s hospital appointments are often in London and, without a suitable buggy, will become very difficult to get to as she finds crowded places and busy situations completely overwhelming.
As she has no awareness of danger, she will either try to run away - potentially into traffic - or drop to the floor, refusing to move.
As she is growing bigger, it is physically too difficult to pick her up and carry her to keep her safe.
Mum-of-four Clare, said: “We approached our local wheelchair services for help - we need something that can be used in different places – but they didn’t have anything suitable and the only wheelchair they can provide for Katherine can only really be used on smooth flat surfaces, which is why we turned to Newlife.
"Without Newlife’s help, families of disabled children will usually have to settle for something that isn’t suitable, making everyday life that much harder.
“Without the right equipment, our lives will be more restricted.
"As the parent of a disabled child you find you are often having to make compromises; you have to fight for everything, all the time, which can be exhausting.”
The whole family enjoy going out on country walks in the fresh air and Katherine loves being outside with Mum, Clare, Dad, William and sisters Abigail, eight, Audrey, seven, and Ruth four.
It’s a way to get exercise and improve the mental health and wellbeing of the whole family – but without a suitable buggy Katherine would be limited in her ability to join in.
Newlife is now appealing to communities across the South East to help them fund the equipment that disabled children desperately need for everyday life.
It can only help Katherine and the other children on the waiting list if it can raise the necessary funds.
Newlife’s founder and CEO Sheila Brown said: “We often hear of children left without vital equipment, including specialist beds, wheelchairs, seating, and walkers, because of red tape, waiting lists, or lack of the right equipment.
“Being forced to go without this means disabled children are left at serious risk of injury, trapped in hospital waiting for discharge, unable to fulfil their true potential, or, tragically, unable to find comfort in their last months of life, even having their condition – and pain – worsen unnecessarily.
“For many families contacting Newlife is a last resort and as a charity we are doing everything we can to fund the equipment that is often described as ‘life changing’.
"We urgently need help to do this.”
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