Firm changes little Ellie's life by donating £1,300 for adjustable buggy
LIKE most two-year-olds, Ellie Morley loves feeding the swans in the park with her mum and dad.
But until recently such a simple pleasure was a near impossibility for little Ellie who has a rare muscle-wasting disease.
Ellie can't walk and needs a ventilator to help her breathe after she was born with the hereditary disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II, which causes weakness and wasting of the arm and leg muscles.
Until recently she lived at Southampton General Hospital and had to be wheeled out in her bed with her ventilation equipment just to go out into the hospital grounds.
But kind-hearted bosses at Uniworld Communications in Gosport donated 1,300 to buy a special adjustable buggy that can be taken in a car and store her ventilator and emergency equipment like an oxygen cylinder.
Having the 'x:panda' buggy has meant Ellie can live at home, and allows parents Gail Maund and Jason Morley to take her for days-out to places like Marwell Zoo, the seaside or Walpole Park in Gosport to feed the swans.
Ellie's dad Jason has worked for Uniworld for six years and said the company's kindness was very much appreciated.
The 36-year-old said: 'It would have taken us at least six months to save enough money for the buggy.
'It's made a huge difference to our lives.
'We're now able to take her out and she can enjoy places like Marwell Zoo or Center Parcs.
'Without the buggy it would have been impossible.'
Miss Maund, 30, of Virginia Park Road, Gosport, said: 'The people at Uniworld have been fantastic. Really supportive. They do a lot of fundraising for charity and we just asked if they could help us.'
Ellie will never be able to walk on her own, but her parents hope research done by the charity The Jennifer Trust will some day find a cure.
Miss Maund said: 'Ellie hasn't got much strength, but she can pick up little Lego bricks or jigsaw pieces.
'Ellie's a bright girl and keeps everyone on their toes. We hope she'll go to a mainstream school.'
n To find out more about The Jennifer Trust go to jtsma.org.uk
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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