Joy as Shrewsbury teenager's £16,000 surgery target is hit
The parents of a 14-year-old Shrewsbury boy have been overwhelmed by the generosity of strangers who have raised enough money for their son to undergo a life-changing operation.
Thomas Lake, from Harlescott, has cerebral palsy and needs to have an operation which is not funded by the NHS.
His parents, Helen and Neville, launched an appeal in January to raise £16,000 for their son to undergo Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR), an operation which is used to improve muscle stiffness in cerebral palsy sufferers.
This week they hit their target with a donation of £1,000 from Persimmon Homes.
Now the challenge is on to raise a further £9,000 for the intensive physiotherapy and equipment Thomas will need once the operation is complete.
Thomas’s parents launched the appeal to raise the money which will see the teenager travel to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool for treatment.
Helen said: “This will be a life-changing operation for Thomas.It will help take away his pain and stiffness, making it easier to care for him and improving his quality of sleep as my husband and I have to go in several times a night to turn him over.
"Thomas is a bright boy, trapped in a body that does not work, who will be starting his GCSEs in September.
Grateful
“We are very grateful to Persimmon Homes for supporting us. The local community has also been incredible in getting behind us since we launched the appeal and with Persimmon’s donation, we will have raised more than £16,300.
“We feel so grateful for everyone’s support and are surrounded by a caring network. We feel privileged to be on the receiving end of this wonderful kindness.”
Fundraising activities have included a crowdfunding page, a sponsored head shave, and a Motown evening.
A nightclub event will be held in Shrewsbury in June and several people are taking part in sponsored runs and walks.
A grand raffle is also under way to be drawn at a coffee and cake morning at Ashley’s Bar, Shoplatch, Shrewsbury on May 14 and a summer fete is planned for June 23 at the Palmers building, Claremont Street, Shrewsbury.
Stephen Cleveley, director-in- charge of Persimmon Homes West Midlands, said: “We were really moved by the Lake family’s application to receive a donation. Their drive to help Thomas is truly inspiring and we wish them well in their campaign and are delighted to be able to help him in this way."
To find out more about Thomas’s Life-Changing Journey visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/thomas-lake-sdr
