A FUNDRAISING campaign has been launched to help buy a piece of life-changing equipment for a disabled Teesdale youngster.
Five-year-old Teddy Berriman needs round-the-clock care after being diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia, a disabling form of spastic cerebral palsy. The youngster, who lives in Copley, can’t walk, stand or sit unaided and must use a frame or wheelchair to move around. He also suffers from three different types of epilepsy, autism and is partially sighted.
Despite the challenges he faces every day, the Butterknowle Primary School pupil continues to smile. To help improve his quality of life, his family are hoping to buy him an Innowalk, a motorised device to aid sitting, standing and moving.
However, no help is available from the NHS and it costs £14,000. Teddy’s mum, Nicola Short, is being joined by family friend Stacey Hopper to help try and raise as much of the money as possible.
Ms Hopper, who lives in Cockfield, said: “We would like to raise £14,000 or as much as we can to put towards the cost of the Innowalk.
“My son is the same age as Teddy so me and Nicola met going to groups. I do not understand why there is no help for things like this. Seeing Teddy with Jack, I see the difference between them. I know what a difference the equipment would make.
“I just thought there must be something we could do. They are so expensive and if there is anything I can do to help them I really want to do that.”
Alongside organising raffles, Ms Short and Ms Hopper have set up a team, Tumble For Teddy, which anyone can join to help them reach their fundraising goal. The pair are looking for people to join them for a number of challenges during the coming months.
Having already completed the Gung-Ho 5k inflatable obstacle course at Wynyard Hall last month, they are now preparing for the Rough Runner obstacle race on Sunday, July 22, at Chester-le-Street.
Following on from that, they have signed up to take part in the Muddy Mayhem obstacle course on Sunday, September 30, at Hardwick Park in Sedgefield.
Ms Hopper ran the Great North Run last year for Teddy and will be doing the same again this year as well as running the Blaydon Race in June.
Ms Short said: “I can’t thank Stacey enough. She is a star. Words can’t express how we feel about her help. It is amazing.
“The Innowalk gives Teddy the walking motion that he can’t do on his own. It will help build muscle tone and strength as he is growing. It will also help keep his hips in line and improve his posture. Cerebral palsy pulls his posture out of shape and line. It is all the things that his body naturally can’t do.
“By having extra equipment to improve his posture and muscle tone, the possibility of him having bigger issues when he is older will be reduced. The more he uses it, the better he will be. We are looking at now but we also have to think about Teddy’s future. The sooner he gets it the better.”
To make a donation visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/stacey-hopper-2. To join the team email staceyhopper1980@gmail.
com or to donate a raffle prize email nic_k_short@yahoo.co.uk.
