Paulsgrove family hope to raise £1,200 for specialist pushchair

The 21-month-old has cerebral palsy and hyper mobility syndrome, and needs a £1,200 pushchair to support him.

But because the NHS will not pay for the equipment as they say he has a ‘mild’ issue, the youngster’s mum Emma has organised a car boot sale to raise the cash.

The 40-year-old, from Paulsgrove, said: ‘Thomas was born at 36 weeks and the cord was wrapped around his neck and he stopped breathing.

‘After about 10 minutes of using an oxygen bag, the doctors were able to get him breathing again but he has suffered some brain damage due to the lack of oxygen.

‘We also noticed his left foot faced outwards. As he got older, we realised Thomas was not meeting milestones and he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and hyper mobility syndrome. It means he cannot walk or talk properly and when he sits, his legs go outwards from the hips.’

Because of his posture, Thomas’ pushchair does not give him the support he needs. So the family is looking to raise £1,200 for a pushchair with bilateral support for his legs and hips, a strong harness and sturdy frame.

Mum-of-four Emma added: ‘Thomas only knows a few words so when he gets frustrated, he flips his head back or lunges forward. The pushchair has the support and harness we need to keep him safe.

‘It means we can go out for long walks or day trips and we know he will be safe. It will make such a big difference to him.’

As well as the pushchair, the family are raising money for private physiotherapy and hydrotherapy sessions for Thomas.

The NHS can only offer one physiotherapy session every six months so it is having to pay £90 a week for the private care.

In the future Emma wants to set up a charity for Thomas to pay for future care he might need.

She also wants to eventually help other families in a similar situation to them through the charity.

To help boost donations a car boot sale is being held this Saturday at St Michael’s and All Angels Church, in Hempsted Road, Paulsgrove. It is being held between 10am and 1pm.

To follow Thomas’ story search Thomas Burrage’s Journey on Facebook.