Katy Johnston
Sadie Fenton Hunt New Life Fund
Fundraising for Newlife Foundation for disabled children
Story
At a time when we most needed help, new life were there for us, with support, advice and vital, otherwise unavailable, equipment. They will continue to be there for families in similar, equally desperate situations. Including ourselves, I have no doubt. Please help to support such a crucial charity.
Thank you,
Effie, George and Sadie x
Here is our story:
Thank you,
Effie, George and Sadie x
Here is our story:
Support from a leading children’s disability charity means eleven year-old Sadie Fenton Hunt is no longer sleeping in an adapted dog pen for her own safety.
Sadie has a rare epileptic disorder and severe learning disabilities with Autism. For the first two months after moving into our Edinburgh home, I had no other way of keeping Sadie safe.
I moved back to my home city of Edinburgh with Sadie and my 13-year-old son George from Northumberland, where my daughter was previously provided with a specialist bed on loan.
Sadie just doesn’t sleep well – she can stay awake during the night for up to five hours at a time. She is continuously on the go and has no awareness of danger; she is at risk of hurting herself – she bangs her head against surfaces – so she can’t ‘sleep’ in a standard bed.
You’d think that being on the go all day she would be tired at night. I am. But she just keeps going. Not having a specialist bed for her to sleep in was pretty exhausting – and the adapted dog pen was a last resort to keep her safe.
In desperation, I contacted Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, and they have supported me to get a specialist permanent and travel bed to meet Sadie’s sleep needs for the rest of her life.
There are many other families in my situation. It is rare nowadays for statutory services to be able to provide all essential equipment, and Sadie and others like her rely on charity support throughout their lives.
Newlife Equipment Loan Service Manager Carrick Brown said: “We provide a quick-response service designed to help children with life-threatening conditions, for instance those who may experience multiple seizures or who need resuscitation, or who are sleeping in unsafe environments like Sadie.
“With statutory services across the UK implementing continued budget cuts, more and more families have to turn to Newlife Foundation for help. That’s why we’re appealing for ‘local heroes’ to come forward and donate or fundraise to help a disabled or terminally ill child in their area.”
Newlife is currently working with other families with equipment needs. If you think you could help fund permanent equipment provision for children like Sadie, donate here, or call the Newlife Community Fundraising Team on freephone 0800 988 4640 or email fundraise@newlifecharity.co.uk.
Thank you!