Member Article

£1,000 for child in need of surgery

The family of a boy with Cerebral Palsy who need to fund a life changing operation have been given £1,000 by Persimmon Homes.

Little Jacob Baird, aged two, from Weston-super-Mare can’t walk, with his only chance of ever walking through an operation called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy.

Sadly the procedure isn’t done through the NHS so Jacob’s family under the title ‘Jacob’s Journey’ have been looking to raise £75,000 for the operation and two years of physiotherapy afterwards.

Persimmon Homes Severn Valley selected Jacob’s Journey as part of its Community Champions scheme - a national programme where charities and groups can apply for funding.

Nicola Baird, Jacob’s mother, said: “The funding for this operation was withdrawn from the NHS in March this year so we’ve been left with no option other than to raise the funds ourselves.

“It’s not just the operation we need to raise funds for as he will also need two years of intense physiotherapy which also is not funding by the NHS.

“Our aim is to raise £75,000. So far we’ve held disco’s, fundays, cake sales, skydives, sponsored walks, a charity ball plus lots more. We are still short of the amount needed and as a family we’re desperate to see him up on his feet and playing with his sisters.

“The donation from Persimmon Homes helps us reach our target and we’re grateful for their contribution.” Nicola Hill, sales and marketing director of Persimmon Homes Severn Valley, added:

“We were touched by the bravery of Jacob but also the hard work of his mother Nicola as she tries to hit the fundraising target.

“This is a life changing operation and I’m proud we can contribute in some way to help this little boy walk.”

To find out more about Community Champions people can visit www.persimmonhomes.com/charity.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lee Southen .