Charity for disabled children appeals for funds to support families during pandemic
A disability charity that has a shop in Market Drayton is appealing for money to ensure its nurse helpline and emergency equipment services can cope with demand in the next few weeks.
Newlife, from Cannock, continues to deliver specialist equipment to families with disabled and terminally-ill children around the UK.
Now it wants to raise £72,000 to support its nurse-run helpline for families who struggle to get the support and equipment they need.
Newlife usually raises funds for its services by working with retailers and manufacturers across the UK and Europe who donate items that would otherwise be destined for landfill.
But in line with social distancing guidelines, all of its stores are temporarily closed. In addition, many of the fundraising events supporters had pledged to take part in this year have been cancelled, leaving the families they raise money for at risk.
In the West Midlands alone, Newlife currently has 56 children on its waiting list needing equipment totalling £31,430 and, to date, the charity has spent £4,097,858 on providing equipment for 4,306 children in the region.
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For ways to help, visit newlife.support/COVID-19ResponseAppeal
Newlife’S consultant nurse Karen Dobson said: “Many of the disabled children who need our help are at most risk of the effects of Covid-19.
"Whether it’s because they have an underlying health condition or because they cannot access already stretched essential health and social care services, it’s vital that they get the equipment and support they need to keep them safe – they need our help now more than ever.
“All of our free services are still running and delivering. Our dedicated team of nurses is continuing to run our helpline to provide important support to families.
"We are also still operating our emergency equipment loan service which provides equipment to keep children safe, free them from pain and allows them to leave hospital and go home.
"A lot of hospitals are currently trying to discharge children because they will be safer at home, but you can’t discharge a child without the equipment they will need.
“Newlife exists because if it was your child you would want the best for them. Our appeal means everyone is being given the chance to change a vulnerable child's life for the better.”
Amelia's story
Because of Newlife, three-year-old Amelia Dowding from Chelmsley Wood in Birmingham was able to spend her first birthday at home – which was also her first night away from hospital since her birth.
The double celebration was only made possible because of Newlife’s Emergency Equipment Loan service.
Now Amelia’s mother, Kelly, is speaking out in support of Newlife’s campaign to help other children like her daughter receive disability equipment they urgently need.
Kelly said: “Amelia couldn’t leave hospital unless she had a specialist adjustable cot to accommodate all her medical equipment and had openings for the tubes that are necessary to keep her safe.
"We knew it would take time to get the cot we needed from health and social care, but that would have meant spending weeks and months longer in hospital that weren’t necessary. Newlife was able to provide equipment that bridged that gap.”
Amelia’s parents knew she would be born with just one kidney, but shortly after birth she began struggling for breath. Tests revealed a rare condition which meant the left side of her heart was too small to pump blood properly, causing heart failure. Open heart surgery at just seven days old widened her valves, but doctors then discovered a further problem with her lungs meant she couldn’t breathe on her own and needed a ventilator.
Kelly said: “The pandemic means we are self-isolating for 12 weeks and although Amelia has her own bed now I know if we were back in that position now, having the loan bed would have been even more of a necessity to allow her to leave hospital.
“Having the right bed means your child is safe. I work for the NHS as part of the health visitor team, but with carers being unwell because of Covid-19 it often means I’m awake with her day and night, but without a specialist bed it would be impossible to carry on. Having the right specialist equipment for your child is critical – now more than ever.”
