Meet Jack
All-terrain Powered Wheelchair
14 year-old Jack Holmes, who has Cerebral Palsy and Femoral Retroversion, struggles with his mobility and balance and experiences extreme pain after walking even short distances due to his condition.
After struggling to use the standard wheelchair issued by the NHS for a year Jack trialled several wheelchairs at Naidex – a national exhibition for the disability community – and finally found one that met his needs.
However, with a price tag of nearly £14,000, the specialist all-terrain wheelchair was far beyond what the family could afford alone. They reached out to Children Today Charitable Trust for support towards the cost of the wheelchair.
Jack’s mum, Sarah, explains:
“We’ve watched Jack struggle all his life and have really had to fight his corner to get the support that he needs. From a young age, we had concerns that something wasn’t quite right – he was delayed with walking and talking – but these worries were repeatedly dismissed by doctors. We were told he would catch up eventually.
“When he was eventually referred to Orthopaedics and diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at the age of ten and later with Femoral Retroversion, everything finally made sense.”
Femoral Retroversion is a condition where the thigh bone (femur) twists backwards, causing the hip and foot to point outwards. This can result in pain in the hips, knees and back, fatigue, and poor coordination. The severity can vary, and in Jack’s case, he may require surgery in the future.
The new wheelchair can cope with rough terrain, gravel and grass easily, meaning Jack can get out and about with ease
Sarah continues:
“Due to Jack’s condition, he struggles to walk anything more than a very short distance without experiencing significant pain. Even standing can be painful for him.
“We live down a farm track and spend a lot of time outdoors, so when we received the NHS wheelchair it was immediately apparent that it wasn’t suitable. It was extremely heavy, and even I struggled to push it on a flat surface. There was no chance Jack would be able to self-propel.
“Jack is home educated and we regularly meet up with other home educators for outdoor workshops in the woods, at science centres and at the Botanical Gardens in St Andrews. But it reached the point where Jack couldn’t physically keep up with his peers. We’d constantly have to stop so he could rest, and we often ended up leaving early.
“Like most 14-year-olds, Jack wants more independence and to be able to join in with his friends. No teenager wants to rely on being pushed around by their mum.”
Jack’s family and friends fundraised £2,500 towards the cost of the wheelchair and, with additional support from Children Today Charitable Trust and several other charities, were able to secure the remaining funds. As a result, Jack now has greater freedom and autonomy and is no longer living in constant pain.
The new wheelchair has boosted Jack’s confidence and mental well-being
Sarah adds:
“This new wheelchair has had an incredible impact on Jack, not just physically but mentally too. Before he had it, he would say he felt like ‘a failure’ and ‘useless’, and he would often end up in tears because he was in so much pain. As a parent, that’s absolutely heartbreaking to witness.
“Now, with the all-terrain wheelchair, he can keep up with his friends and go wherever they go. He’s no longer missing out and feels included, which has had a hugely positive effect on his mental wellbeing.
“In fact, it’s been positive for the whole family. It means that we’re able to go out much more as a family and stay out longer than we could previously.”’
Can you help us help more children, like Jack, who want to greater freedom and independence?
