Life-changing appeal reaches its 10k target
Gurpreet Samrai • Published 11 Aug 2012 09:30
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A 'life-changing' appeal to help a brave boy gain some independence has hit its £10,000 target, only weeks after its launch.
Cody Kelly was born with Myelomeningocele - a rare and severe form of spina bifida - which means he faces spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair. The six-year-old will be testing out electric wheelchairs next week after the community rallied behind his mum's passionate plea.
The appeal, launched last month, quickly reached the halfway mark and was given a final boost this week by Paul Williams of the Windsor-based Paul's Trust, who donated £5,000 after reading Cody's story in The Observer.
Mum Julie Kelly, of Reddington Drive, Langley, said: "It is still sinking in. It is something we thought was going to be a long way in the future, but it came together really quickly.
"I can't believe how the community rallied together and wanted to help Cody gain the independence he needs. People were amazing, whether it was £5 or £5,000 like Paul, they were all prepared to give their time, money and support.
"We can't believe someone could just read an article in the paper and turn up at our house and say 'there's the money you need'. It's beyond anything I could imagine."
Family and friends of the Foxborough School pupil have held fundraisers, including family friend Kellie Rudd, who spearheaded the appeal and running 12 miles and holding a cake sale and fete to raise the first £5,000.
On Wednesday, Cody, who has to be pushed in a pram as he battles with severe pain to walk short distances, will be visiting St Mark's Hospital, in Maidenhead, to find the perfect wheelchair.
Mrs Kelly said: "It means everything to Cody because he can get to school in a way any other child does with confidence and without people looking at him and saying he's too big to be in a pushchair.
"He doesn't go out the house very often because it's embarrassing for him to be in a pushchair."
His overwhelmed mum added: "It's going to make a massive difference to his life."
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