A six-year-old with cerebral palsy urgently needs a specialist wheelchair so he’s not trapped in his Tooting home.
The only way Jack Callaby can get around without help is by crawling on the floor because the muscles in his arms and legs are painfully tight, and the rest of his body is so weak.
A motorised wheelchair loaned from a disability aid company gave Jack a taste of independence, which saw him thrive, but he’s now over the maximum safe weight limit to use it.
The only way mum Amy can take Jack out is in a double buggy he shares with his brother, two-year-old Luke, but he’s outgrown this too.
“We’re all trapped at home with no way to safely take Jack outside," Amy said.
"It’s particularly stressful for everyone when the weather is good, but he can’t go out and play like other children.
“I’m at my wits end. A powered wheelchair is the only chance Jack has of any independence and to have the chance to fulfil his potential."
Even when the family are entitled to begin the long assessment process for a NHS wheelchair it will be for a basic, heavy model. This will leave him without the independence he loves, isolated and reliant on adults to push him around.
Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children is now urgently calling on the community to help raise £3,130 so Jack can have his very own powered wheelchair and can go outside and join in with his brother, sister and friends.
Newlife’s senior manager for care services, Carrick Brown, said: “Jack needs a powered wheelchair to go outside properly with his family and join in with everyday school activities.
"Without it his freedom, independence and options will be limited, just because he doesn’t have the right equipment at the right time.
“However, as much as we would love to help Jack and his family, we simply don’t have the funds right now so we are urgently asking local people and businesses to make a donation or fundraise to help him, as soon as possible.”
Anyone able to help Jack should contact Newlife on 01543 431 444, visit the website at
www.newlife.support/HelpJack or email
local@newlifecharity.co.uk A six-year-old with cerebral palsy urgently needs a specialist wheelchair so he’s not trapped in his Tooting home.
The only way Jack Callaby can get around without help is by crawling on the floor because the muscles in his arms and legs are painfully tight, and the rest of his body is so weak.
A motorised wheelchair loaned from a disability aid company gave Jack a taste of independence, which saw him thrive, but he’s now over the maximum safe weight limit to use it.
The only way mum Amy can take Jack out is in a double buggy he shares with his brother, two-year-old Luke, but he’s outgrown this too.
“We’re all trapped at home with no way to safely take Jack outside," Amy said.
"It’s particularly stressful for everyone when the weather is good, but he can’t go out and play like other children.
“I’m at my wits end. A powered wheelchair is the only chance Jack has of any independence and to have the chance to fulfil his potential."
Even when the family are entitled to begin the long assessment process for a NHS wheelchair it will be for a basic, heavy model. This will leave him without the independence he loves, isolated and reliant on adults to push him around.
Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children is now urgently calling on the community to help raise £3,130 so Jack can have his very own powered wheelchair and can go outside and join in with his brother, sister and friends.
Newlife’s senior manager for care services, Carrick Brown, said: “Jack needs a powered wheelchair to go outside properly with his family and join in with everyday school activities.
"Without it his freedom, independence and options will be limited, just because he doesn’t have the right equipment at the right time.
“However, as much as we would love to help Jack and his family, we simply don’t have the funds right now so we are urgently asking local people and businesses to make a donation or fundraise to help him, as soon as possible.”
Anyone able to help Jack should contact Newlife on 01543 431 444, visit the website at www.newlife.support/HelpJack or email local@newlifecharity.co.uk
