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Thomas Cook Children's Charity supports
therapy tricycle initiative for disabled children
CAUDWELL Children, the national charity that provides
practical and emotional support to disabled children and their families, has
announced that it has been awarded a grant of £10,000 by the Thomas Cook
Children's Charity, to provide specialist therapy tricycles for disabled
children across the UK. The award will enable Caudwell Children to support
30 disabled children throughout 2016.
Julia Hayne, Head of Community Programmes, at Caudwell Children says that the
equipment is potential life changing. As she explained:- "The tricycles
are individually designed to meet the needs of each disabled child and they
assist them in their physical development. They have been engineered to make
pedalling much easier and they are extremely stable and safe. They reduce the
need for painful physiotherapy; they flex, extend and stretch muscles and build
muscle tone and they promote play, which gives children a renewed sense of
inclusion, improving self esteem and confidence."
Caudwell Children recently supported 2 year old Ryan Cunningham, from Ebbw Vale,
with the provision of a specialist tricycle. He has hemiplegia cerebral palsy, a
condition that affects his movement and posture, and he doesn't have the muscle
development to ride a standard bicycle.
His Mum, Cassandra, aged 28, says that the tricycle has not only helped her son,
but has also had a positive impact on the whole family. She said:- "I
can't really put into words what it means to Ryan. He's a very active little
boy, despite being unable to walk or stand without support, and he used to get
so frustrated when he couldn't go outside. So the tricycle has been fantastic
and he simply loves it. He's been out peddling after his dad with a huge smile
on his face. It's made everyone so happy. Now he doesn't have to sit on the
sideline anymore, he can join in with his 4 year old brother Isaac and his
friends. Not only that he's exercising without really noticing, ensuring that
his muscle development keeps up with his bone growth."
The Thomas Cook Children's Charity was established with the intention of
improving children's lives. Since 2009 it has raised more than £7 million for
charities that work with children in the UK and overseas by offering customers
the opportunity to donate when they book a holiday; collecting unwanted coins in
store and on return flights to the UK with their airline; and through employee
fundraising efforts.
Julia says that support from Thomas Cook Children's Charity is vital in ensuring
the wellbeing of disabled children. She said:- "A staggering 78% of
disabled children have no access to activities outside of their home, whilst 75%
of families with disabled children say that they feel so isolated that it has
caused anxiety and depression. This grant will ensure the health and wellbeing
of other children like Ryan, and the 30 children that we support will get huge
physical and emotional benefits from having a specially adapted tricycle."
You can donate to Caudwell Children at:-
JustGiving.Com/Caudwell.
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