Make Charlies future bright

Meet beautiful Charlie Walker, the youngest of two brothers in the Walker-Gill family. After a completely normal pregnancy Ananda went into labour November of last year excited to welcome their new son into the world. This was the day the family’s lives were going to change forever. Complications in birth left Charlie lifeless upon arrival. After the longest night of their lives Charlie was resuscitated after 40 minutes. Unfortunately the prolonged lack of oxygen left Charlie with severe brain damage (HIE). He now suffers from Cerebral palsy (moving very little and reliant on constant repositioning), Bulbar palsy (the inability to swallow and reliant on suctioning to maintain clear airways), Oxygen dependency, plus impaired sight and hearing as well as seizures. All of this has resulted in the need for 24/7 care. Aside from this, Charlie’s conditions mean he has a very weakened immune system and any virus or infection could be fatal, often leaving this lively family completely housebound.

 

After 5 months in hospital the family made it home with their much loved 2nd son, new medical knowledge and skills which they had to learn in order to care for Charlie, a ton of heavy medical equipment and after much fighting a nurse presence in the home every night to allow them to sleep.

 

For the last 15 months the Walker-Gills have been battling to come to terms with their new world. Working tirelessly to create a new future which enables them to support the whole family and actually have some form of a ‘normal’ life.

 

Charlie currently requires a lot of medical equipment including oxygen tanks, suction machinery, feeding machines, positioning chairs and splints, and as he grows these needs and size of equipment will increase. This is not including the extra sensory stimuli that will be essential to help to develop Charlie’s brain functions for his best chance of a brighter future. The beautiful home Ananda and Darren worked so hard to buy is no longer viable for the complex needs of their youngest son, and every room is already piled full with medical materials. After a year of appealing to various charities, medical and government funding they have finally received a grant towards to necessary modifications to their home needed to continue in their lives. Though shockingly this is only about 40% of the actual funds needed which leaves them unable to proceed.

 

The money donated will be used to modify their home to create the space for Charlie to grow into as his needs increase. This includes introducing accessible ramps, opening up downstairs to accommodate seating system, wheelchair & a standing frame.

 

Charlie was diagnosed with CVI earlier this year, CVI is a visual impairment which indicates that his eyes themselves work but the brain struggles to process the information but offers hope that with intensive therapy he could learn to see. He has already shown some development but further development relies on simplifying his surroundings, so the busy surroundings he is currently faced with at present is overwhelming and hinder his progress, it is therefore essential that the family managed to extend downstairs to allow for the spaced to be more ordered and his surroundings be visually simplified.

 

Alongside this, it is proven that hydrotherapy is essential to provide relief, strengthen muscles and improve mobility. Charlie has shown great progress in gaining the strength to hold his head up but still had very little central tone (appearing generally floppy) and the use of hydrotherapy will allow Charlie to develop some movements slowly whilst his weight is being supported by the water, something which is too big a hurdle to overcome out of the water. With Charlie’s immune system so compromised it can often be dangerous to take him out, so the addition of an enclosed space for a small hydrotherapy pool in the garden would enable the family to carry out this often life-changing therapy safely and regularly.

 

Finally these modifications would create a family space - somewhere where three year-old Dylan, Charlie, Mum and Dad could spend quality time together away from the hospital. A place to play, cook, watch a movie and smile together in privacy. Little things that a lot of people take for granted, but would mean so much to this young family.

 

 

The Walker-Gill’s lives have changed forever but with your help they can be given the opportunity to start to live again. To give Charlie the support and space needed. To spend time together as a family. To create a new ‘normal’ outside of just surviving.