Are you sitting comfortably?
When Rocco Wood was born three months premature he weighed less than a bag of sugar. He also had quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Louise, his mother, realised that life would be tough, and vowed that she would do all she could to make sure that Rocco’s life was about opportunities, not obstacles. Seeing Rocco now, a bright-eyed nine-year-old who weighs in at a healthy five stone, it’s clear that Louise is doing just that.
Cerebral palsy means that Rocco can’t walk, talk or sit unaided. Yet, he is a happy and sociable child who loves to be around people and to paint, bake, play with switch-adapted toys, and watch cartoons.
Rocco had nothing comfortable or suitable for sitting on after a busy day at school or at weekends. (NHS funds outdoor only wheelchairs.) After many failed attempts to find a solution, Louise came across the P-Pod: a beanbag that offers positioning support for children and young adults. It’s also mobile and has a tray for toys and more!
But it cost too much for Louise. Although she’d found the ideal solution, she couldn’t afford it. Louise carries on with the story:
‘This is when the Ecas grant fund stepped in. Because of your funding Rocco now has somewhere comfortable to sit. Without the P-Pod, he would have to sit in his wheelchair until bedtime or go straight to bed after he got back from school, and lie on the floor on a mat over the weekend. Your funding has changed his life, and ours as a family. He can be in a comfy seat in the living room with the rest of the family, and do the things he loves at the weekend. You have made such a difference to Rocco’s quality of life and I am forever grateful for that.’
Find out how an Ecas grant could help you or a physically disabled person you know.
Touched by Rocco’s story? Find out how you can help raise funds to help other people experience opportunities rather than obstacles.