George Shippey is a bright and fun teenager who developed Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) at a young age.  With the help of NELFT colleagues going the extra mile, George received a high spec wheelchair to cater for his current and future growth needs.

What is DMD?

DMD is caused by a gene defect (mutation) that affects the gene that helps the body to produce a protein called dystrophin. It involves muscle weakness, which quickly gets worse and is an inherited disorder.

What were the challenges?

With several aspects involved in managing George’s health and mobility, his wheelchair was a priority and in need of an upgrade not just for his current, but also his future needs with a long term solution as he grows. To bring the plan to life, wheelchair services were commissioned to provide the mobility and posture support but the additional extras are not funded by the NHS.

Undaunted by this task one of our senior therapists Janet Stevens and Sue Patterson, LTCC Senior Manager, worked on a strategy.  A rep was brought in to trial a chair which met the clinical needs, was acceptable by George and allowed him to live, work and play as he became a teenager and young adult.

Janet said:

“We promised George he would receive his new hi-spec chair, and we were delighted to handover the chair to George and Kerry during an appointment at our Mayflower Hospital site in Billericay.”

Added extras thanks to local support and charitable donations

One of the requests from George and Kerry was that to make this a fully usable chair they were really looking for a hi lo facility and George had his heart set on having a UBS charger for his phone (what teenager wouldn’t want their own charging unit!) 

Knowing that the request would leave them short on the funding, undaunted, Janet and a retired NELFT colleague set about contacting local companies for charitable donations and a full donation was received. A very happy George received his wheelchair with all the requirements of a growing teenager.

Following receipt of George’s chair, the family sent this message:

"On behalf of George & our family, we would like to say a huge thank you to the funder, Mike & Karl. The extra funding they have so generously provided to fund the requirements for George will make such an incredible difference to his day to day life & his future. We are so very grateful, and the kindness will always be remembered. 

Thanks once again for all your help & support Janet."

To find out more about Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, visit: Home | Duchenne UK