Hi everyone, I'm Hannah :) and I am fundraising for my wonderful 13-year-old son, Oliver (Ollie, Olpol, Olibobs, pain in my bum, etc.). Oliver was born at 31 weeks and 6 days. My waters broke at work, and luckily I worked with Ollie’s dad at the time, so he drove me to the hospital. I was tracking my contractions, and they were close, let me tell you! He was born 20 minutes after getting to the hospital and was whisked away to Gosset Ward at NGH. He was placed on a CPAP machine and given all the support he needed. We were there for three weeks before being discharged.

As time went on, Ollie wasn't meeting his gross motor milestones. He ended up having an MRI, and we went to the John Radcliffe Hospital to find out that he had a large amount of white matter brain damage (PVL), which has subsequently led to him having cerebral palsy. With lots of physio and surgery to make him a bit more "bionic," he now has some metal in his feet to help with some of his mobility issues.

As Ollie has gotten older, he's finding walking more tiring and painful, making it increasingly difficult. So, we are in a transition period in which Ollie now needs to use his wheelchair more frequently. He currently has an NHS wheelchair, but he is unable to be independent in it due to its weight, making it far too much of a challenge to self-propel. On top of that, he has now outgrown it, and what we have been offered for his next wheelchair is something he still wouldn't be able to self-propel and be independent in. Currently, Ollie has never been able to leave the house without someone with him if he's using his wheelchair.

We have recently been measured up and chosen an active chair for Ollie, but unfortunately, it's £4,000—so not cheap! Not to mention we would also love to add a power add-on, which is another £5,000 ouch. That’s where I was hoping for your help to get Ollie a chair so he can be like his friends and actually gain some real independence.

How the Funds Will Be Used

We are trying to raise £4,000 to cover the cost of the active wheelchair and the necessary custom fittings to ensure it supports his posture and daily needs perfectly. Unfortunately, NHS funding doesn't cover the specific lightweight model he needs to truly thrive. Every single donation, no matter how small, brings us one step closer to giving Ollie the independence he so richly deserves. If you aren't in a position to donate, sharing our page with your friends, family, and community would mean the world to us.