Walking for wonderboy
Two parents are walking from Wellington to Auckland to help their son walk by himself.
Army captains Laura and Tane North are walking 700 kilometres to raise money for their 3-year-old son Elijah, who was born with an undiagnosed genetic condition that means he cannot speak, is legally blind, is fed through a tube and has a total of 14 health problems.
His parents want to take him back to Australia for further treatment to help him walk unaided, and need $56,000 to do so.
The walk started in Wellington on Wednesday. The pair will walk up to 80km a day, broken up into four blocks they will alternate, and are buoyed on by supporters through each leg – including many of their military comrades.
Laura North left Linton Army Camp, near Palmerston North, yesterday morning, and was heading to Hunterville for the night. She said it was an ‘‘incredible’’ feeling to be under way, as planning for the walk started in September last year.
‘‘It’s been a long time coming.’’
To prepare, she said she and her husband did one big walk every weekend, then a few smaller ones during the week.
The reason they decided to walk to raise money was because Elijah could not walk unassisted, but loved getting about in his walker.
‘‘Able-bodied people, we take for granted what we have got. We can easily put one foot in front of the other.’’
Since Elijah was born, the Norths have had another baby, Thea, who has Down syndrome.
North said the walk was good to talk to other families who were in similar situations.
‘‘It’s awesome to share the journey and make other people aware disability is a normal part of life . . . It’s not something to be afraid of.’’
Elijah’s Givealittle page had by yesterday afternoon hit $28,000, still about $20,000 away from their goal.
The money they were raising would allow Elijah to have four more sessions of treatment at a centre in Australia, which they were hoping would lead to him being able to walk.
Before his first four sessions, he could not even sit unassisted.
Despite averaging about 60km of walking a day, Laura North said her body was feeling ‘‘really good’’ thanks to the massages she received after each day.
The family aim to reach Auckland on March 23.