Coventry mum taking on 24-hour 100km challenge for daughter with cerebral palsy
The Innowalk is a custom-built machine to make movement possible for children, adolescents and adults with moderate to severe physical disabilities.
A Coventry mum is taking on a 24-hour, 100km challenge to help her four-year-old daughter achieve her dream of walking.
Effie Middleton has triplegic cerebral palsy, which affects her lower limbs and upper left limb, meaning she is unable to walk or stand up unaided.
She was temporarily given an Innowalk for 2 weeks, which allowed her to exercise daily, feel the motion of walking and build up her muscles and strength.
Her mum Ellena Middleton, 29, is now hoping to raise £33,000 to buy Effie one of her own.
Ellena said: "Effie adored the Innowalk – I could barely get her out of it. It works a little like a motorized cross-trainer. If she had one of her own it would do so much for her, improving her muscle strength, flexibility and independence, as well as all the other health benefits which come with being able to stand and move in an upright position."
The family has already raised over £8,000 from several other fundraisers, including a danceathon held at Effie’s nursery.
Ellena and partner Ben Harris will be taking on the 100km Thames Path Ultra Challenge from Putney Bridge to Henley-on-Thames next month.
Ellena said: "We have been training by taking longer and longer walks – we walked 20 miles this weekend. It will certainly be a challenge, but we are doing it for Effie."
She added: "Effie is a typical little girl who likes doing all the things that most girls of her age enjoy - singing, dancing, role playing, messing around with toys. She’s very inquisitive and looking forward to starting school this year.
"An Innowalk would dramatically improve her independence and quality of life and we are really grateful for any support people can give in helping us buy one for her."
The family is being supported by children’s charity Tree of Hope, which helps families fundraise for children like Effie with healthcare needs, where the NHS can’t support and provides charity status to benefit from gift aid, corporate support whilst also providing donor reassurance.
Gill Gibb, Tree of Hope CEO, said: "We wish Ellena and Ben all the best with their impressive challenge and the family with their ongoing fundraising for Effie."
To sponsor Ellena and Ben or to donate to Effie’s fund visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/100kforeffie or https://www.treeofhope.org.uk/effies-independence/.
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