A mother of four from Swindon is getting ready to take on an incredible challenge to change her daughter Poppy's life.
Poppy Alexander from Wroughton was born with severe brain damage, and since then she has been registered as blind, with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, epilepsy and learning difficulties.
The resilient 13-year-old has faced ongoing health challenges that have limited her life, but now her mum Joanna believes she has found a way to make a difference.
Following Poppy's trial on an Innowalk, which increased her movement and helped her with breathing, digestion, circulation and more, 43-year-old Joanna is now determined to raise enough money to purchase one for her daughter.
"Poppy’s health has not been good lately and she has been in and out of hospital with chest infections,’ said Joanna, who is a nurse in Swindon.
"She has had a trial on an Innowalk and absolutely loved it. But unfortunately, they are very expensive.
"The Innowalk will cost over £26,500, but will greatly improve Poppy’s quality of life, and funding for this is not available from the NHS or local authorities."
Having been previously successful in fundraising for an eye gaze machine to help Poppy communicate and an off-road wheelchair, Joanna is now preparing to take on her biggest challenge yet.
The mother of four will take on the 100K Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge - a two-day walk from Corfe Castle that passes through Swanage, Weymouth, Durdle Door, Abbotsbury and ends in Bridport.
"I used to be quite fit but it is very hard to find the time to exercise with Poppy in and out of hospital so much," said Joanna.
"So far the training has been going quite well, I’ve managed 100K over four days, simply because I can’t generally find larger chunks of time than that.
"Like any parents, we want Poppy to be able to reach her full potential, and we believe an Innowalk would help her get the most out of life."
Joanna and her husband Rod are being supported through this challenge by the children's charity Tree of Hope, which helps families to fundraise for healthcare needs which can't be provided by the NHS.
Becky Andrew, CEO of Tree of Hope, added: "We’re delighted to be helping Poppy’s family with their continuing fundraising and with Joanna all the best with the walk."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel