The parents of a six-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer trying to raise £25,000 for a life-saving operation staged a fundraising day in Manchester after the NHS could no longer pay for the treatment.
The summer party was held at Swinton Insurance’s Great Marlborough Street office on Friday, where Spencer Worth, father of Aidan, works.
It raised £5,000 from various activities including an auction, raffle, limbo games, mocktails and many more.
Cerebral palsy sufferer Aidan was accepted for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy surgery at Leeds General Hospital on August 29, a neurosurgical procedure aimed at reducing tight and stiff muscle tone in the lower limbs.
However, his parents needed to raise the money for the operation as the NHS commissioning board could no longer pay for it.
“After suffering the agony and the ecstasy of discovering that Aidan qualified for the life changing operation but the NHS commissioning board could no longer pay for the operation, I have been simply amazed at the generosity of people, not just through money but in time, support and general willingness to help in any way,” he said.
Aidan and his twin brother, Cameron, were born at 32 weeks and spent the first six weeks of their lives in a special care unit.
When they were released, they both seemed to be developing normally – until it was noticed Aidan wasn’t reaching his physical milestones.
Aidan first sat up unassisted at 12 months and he couldn’t walk alone until he was two-and-a-half.
Spencer added: “When I tentatively asked if there was anything Swinton could do to help, there was an explosion of activity and next minute, prizes have been donated, raffles were organised, BBQ’s and cake sales sprung up everywhere.
“The next time I hear people saying how there’s no good in the world anymore; I will happily share my experience of this same world and explain that people like the amazing team at Swinton are out there and making a difference to lives every day.”
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