Nine year old Livia, who has cerebral palsy, will receive a motorized wheelchair, thanks to community fundraising efforts.
It will change her life because her current wheelchair is not good and causes discomfort. She feels embarrassed by it, and adults must move her around. She tires quickly if she tries to move herself.
Livia was diagnosed at age two. Her parents, Alana and James, help her stay mobile. She has physiotherapy twice a week, and she also does yoga and adaptive swimming lessons.
First signs appeared early as she missed milestones. Crawling was hard for her, with sitting and walking coming late. Her parents told doctors their worries, but felt they were ignored.
Nursery staff noticed her struggles when she was two years old. Staff referred her for an MRI and she saw a physiotherapist too. This led to her diagnosis of cerebral palsy.
Alana recalled Livia’s late steps, noting that she didn’t crawl at all. Nursery confirmed her slow movement, and Alana, who was pregnant then, felt joy and fear. Cerebral palsy involves brain damage, once called unchangeable.
That message was wrong, according to Alana. Lack of activity worsens spasticity, so staying active kept her moving. Without actions, she would need a wheelchair and experience great pain.
They have worked hard for Livia, wanting her life normal. Livia is very resilient and amazes them every day.
When young, it was easier because she didn’t notice differences; however, at six, she began asking about her splints and why she couldn’t walk as fast.
She jumped at age six, which was amazing to see. It’s heartbreaking for her parents, but she accepts her life and tries hard.
Providing for her is costly now, and the family cannot afford it. Alana works full-time, but the NHS has criteria that she doesn’t meet for a chair.
A manual wheelchair is hard to use because someone must push her around, leading to a lack of independence. A light one tires her quickly, and arm use leads to more exhaustion.
Her parents worry about secondary school, so she needs the right equipment soon. At primary school, she stays in one class and needs to sit in the playground. Secondary school means constant movement.
Now is the time to help because puberty can worsen her CP, with ages nine to fourteen being risky. They see these signs already.
A recent scan showed a curve, indicating she will need spinal surgery later.
Her family is proactive with her health, and she reaches goals, better than most. Her school is very helpful, especially Zoe Crockett, her teacher, who is raising money. Without her, it’s said, it wouldn’t be possible.
The community’s support is incredible, and Alana can’t thank people enough. This eases her mom guilt, as she has wanted the chair for years. It costs £6,000 plus, with the power pack costing the same.
They ordered the new wheelchair, which should come in four weeks. The fundraiser continues now, and it helps with therapy costs. Physiotherapy is over £4,000 a year, and splints cost over £2,000. Private care is faster and improves her movement more.
They get £4,000 a year in Disability Living Allowance, but it does not cover everything
The GoFundMe raised over £13,000. Her teacher, Zoe, watched Livia grow up and sees daily independence struggles. Acting now is very important because Livia is vibrant, loving, determined, and inspires everyone around.
CP affects her muscles and mobility, but it does not diminish her spirit. Every step is a triumph for her.
The goal is simple: give her tools to live independently. CP presents challenges daily, but Livia works hard to overcome them. She needs essential resources.
Zoe is happy Livia’s dreams will come true. She is proud of reaching £13,000 from the school and community. The support has been incredible.
They organized a festive fun run with four hundred people running along the seafront. They had quizzes at the football club, bake sales, and stories in the woods. Local businesses donated tips, and they did Tesco bag packing. There were teacher races and hamper raffles too.