Laya
Laya is almost 5 years old, she has a condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy which means she can’t walk, crawl or even sit on her own. The only way Laya can move is by having an electric wheelchair.
The particular wheelchair, which Laya needs, can lower her all the way to the floor so she can play with her brother, sister and other kids on the ground. It can raise her to she can watch mum cooking in the kitchen. It can even make Laya stand upright which she has never been able to do before.
This Snap Dragon wheelchair costs £25,000 and so her friends and family are desperately trying to raise the money so Laya can enjoy the summer using it.
Laya’s parents explain more about her condition:
“Our precious daughter Laya was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA 1) when she was just 8 months old. Laya is now nearly 5. SMA1 is a life limiting condition without a cure. Laya cannot walk, crawl or even sit by herself. She has very poor head control and she has extremely weak muscles. For instance a small apple is too heavy for her to hold. Although profoundly disabled, Laya’s brain is completely unaffected by her condition, she is very bright, loves to sing, read, tell stories and chat!
A year ago, her current wheelchair, Wizzy Bug, gave Laya her first taste of independence. For the first time she didn’t need to be pushed or carried, she was able to move in a direction that she chose, where and when she wanted to. We will never forget her smile on that day, it’s a memory we will always treasure. She has now outgrown Wizzy, which is a pre-school wheelchair for toddlers.
Laya is very special as there are only a small handful of children around the world with SMA1 who have survived passed the age of two. Because Laya is a bit of an anomaly she doesn’t quite fit into any specific category and so we have struggled greatly to get any charity or government funding for a powered wheelchair that will give Laya this level of independence. This is why we have decided to fundraise ourselves”.
To help change Laya’s story and assist in raising the money for the wheelchair she requires, click here to donate.
