KATHERINE BAINBRIDGE
THE family of a brave 10-year-old with cerebral palsy have launched a campaign to raise £2,000 for a machine that will allow him to communicate with them for the first time.
Alfie Scambler from Heaton Chapel was born at Wythenshawe Hospital just 25 weeks into his mum Candice’s pregnancy, along with his twin brother Ben, weighing just 1lb 15oz.
He stayed there for six days before contracting a bowel infection that is common among premature babies, when he was moved to St Mary’s Hospital – and five days later Ben followed with the same infection.
He was in the hospital for around five months and had to undergo numerous operations before he was allowed home. But when he was two Candice realised he wasn’t reaching the usual developmental milestones, such as sitting up, crawling and speaking, and they returned to hospital, where he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
Alfie also had to have further operations after doctors found that the liquid he was drinking was getting into his lungs and three years later he was additionally diagnosed with epilepsy after suffering a massive seizure at school.
Candice, 31, who has three other children aged 13, 12 and six as well as Ben, who is autistic, said: “I am so lucky to have both of them, it was really touch and go. Ben was even smaller than Alfie, he only weighed 1lb 7oz.”
The fundraising is for a machine called an Igazer,
Alfie attends Valley School, a special school in Bramhall, which is where Candice first heard about the machine.
“They were looking to get funding, but it’s not very easy to come by,” she explained. “They managed to get one, but it is for all the children at school and he goes to high school next year.
“We are always looking at him and wondering what he is thinking. It starts off quite basic but as he gets older we can get more software for it.
“It also has games on it that will stimulate his brain and that he can play like any other child would play with a phone or tablet.”
For more information or to make a donation visit gofundme.com/lifechanging-equipment.