The British Red Cross Mobility Aids service has lent out a wheelchair to a girl with congenital talipes on agreement for a donation on its return.

Freya Stewart has severe congenital talipes – or club foot – meaning she has to have a lot of treatment to enable her to walk. This results in periods of time where that she has to have both legs in plaster for around 6-8 weeks which makes it difficult for her to walk.

In order to get out of the house, Freya would need a wheelchair.

However, the NHS do not lend out wheelchairs for short term treatments or conditions which meant Freya would need to get a wheelchair elsewhere. Freya’s mother, Samantha, said that wheelchairs on the internet were too expensive and that she would not be able to afford one.

On searching for a wheelchair, Samantha found the British Red Cross Mobility Aids website which stated she could borrow a chair from them for a donation on its return. The charity allows people to borrow a wheelchair for £10 a week but specifies that if people cannot afford that donation then they will not be turned away.

In order to donate money to the charity, Samantha decided to do a fundraising event by running the London Marathon. She set a target to raise £500 for the British Red Cross to show her gratitude and said: “I am so grateful that they exist and proud to be able to run London for them.”

Samantha exceeded her target and raised a total of £986.

Samantha continued: “This charity is enabling people who would otherwise be housebound during treatment for various conditions and recovery from broken bones to regain some freedom and control over their lives.”

To find out more about the British Red Cross the website is HERE

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