Shropshire boy's parents hail support charity

Today his parents described how Tom has already overcome challenges most people will never have to face as they promote a new charity.

The youngster was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency – a condition which means one leg will not grow at the same rate as the other.

At just 12 months, his parents Caroline and James McIntrye made the difficult decision to have his foot and ankle amputated to allow him to be fitted with his first prosthesis.

Mrs McIntyre said: "It was a really tough time. We found out at a routine 20-week scan and we didn't know anything about the condition then. It means his right thigh isn't growing as fast as the other – we had hoped to have leg lengthening but it was quite dramatically different. So we chose to go down the amputation route."

But the youngster has not let such a life-changing condition take away his daredevil fun. Mrs McIntyre said: "He is always climbing and he loves going to Tumble Tots sessions.

"He wasn't even two when he climbed up a ladder with his dad.

"I remember worrying in a park that he was going to try climbing the rope ladder and disappoint himself, but next time I looked he was right at the top. He has always been so mobile from an early age, he does always keep surprising us."

The family live in Wem. Tom has been getting on well with his first prosthesis, but the family have had invaluable support from charity Steps.

The charity focuses on helping children and adults with lower limb conditions, and Mrs McIntyre said it had been helpful throughout their experience.

She added: "We telephoned the charity and they sent us a booklet, which was really helpful. And we have had families talk us through similar experiences. And now, we are helping other families through the same thing, which is fantastic.

"He still needs work on his leg. Once it grows to a certain length the knee joint will be removed and the upper and lower leg will be fused together to make his thigh. We've always said he'll grow up to be our Paralympian."

Mrs McIntyre said: "The charity helps because Tom can meet other children at the Steps parties and we can also talk to families about the little problems – like getting the right kind of bike."

But the charity is only small, and the McIntyres hope to raise awareness of the cause while family friend Paul Smith runs tomorrow's London Marathon.

Mrs McIntyre added: "Paul said he would run for us and we are so grateful.

"You don't really think about this sort of thing until your own child goes through it, so the charity is quite small.

"I work in the NHS and I had never heard of it. We just want to promote awareness and let people know about it."

The parties run by Steps have helped Tom gain confidence as well as his time at Tumble Tots at The Mereside in Ellesmere.

To donate to Paul Smith's running fund for Steps, visit www.justgiving.com/paul-smith170.