Just4Children are raising funds to give Felix access to specialist therapies and equipment to support his development and improve his quality of life.
This is Felix, he is 22 months old and is from Wantage in Oxfordshire, where he lives with Mummy, Daddy and older brother.
Felix was born at 29 weeks gestation and was cared for in a neonatal intensive care unit. He stayed in hospital for eight weeks.
A few days after he was born, we were told that Felix had suffered brain damage at birth. This can be common amongst premature babies. The type of damage that Felix has is called Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL). Brain damage is graded from 1 – 4, with Grade 4 being the most severe. Felix sustained Grade 3 brain damage.
Since then, he has been diagnosed with Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, Dystonia, Reflux, and Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) meaning his sight is also very affected. He is very delayed in all areas including, fine and gross motor skills (movement) and cognitive skills (thinking, speech and language). He is unable to eat enough food orally so we feed him via a gastrostomy tube, called a button, into his stomach.
We will be eternally grateful to the NHS for saving Felix’s life but many of the therapies that he needs are not funded by our healthcare system.
Private physiotherapy, occupational therapy, hydrotherapy and equipment come at a high cost and are essential in supporting Felix to reach his full potential and access the opportunity of participating in everyday life.
Felix works so hard to play and interact. He shows so much potential. He LOVES to bear weight through his legs and to ‘walk’ with Mummy and Daddy supporting him so he can take steps. He enjoys sitting whilst being supported and loves listening to music.
Any help you can give us to help our boy access life changing therapies means so much.
Thank you for taking the time to read Felix’s story.
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