Charlie braves the stares to raise funds
Brave Charlie Graver found the perfect way to fight back after being badly injured and scarred in a road accident.
He was only four years old when he suffered broken cheek bones, a broken nose and lost a lot of skin from his nose and fore head after the accident in 2015.
But just four years later, he tackled a charity run and raised nearly EIGHT times his original target.
The heroic youngster neededemergency surgery after the accident and surgeons used a skin gr aft from hist high for his nose, but he still has wide scars on his head.
It hasn't always been easy for him to have a‘ visible difference’, said his mum Kimberley, 34, who is married to Michael, 34. Charlie’s siblings are Harley Allan, 15, and Lucy, 13.
Kimberley described the ‘star es from strangers and random people/ kids asking what has happened to his face. He has cried many tears and, as his mother, this has broke my heart but considering what he has been through he is coping well,’ she added.
In fact, he’s doing amazingly and has completed a charity run to help others facing similar battles to his own.
This incredible boy braved all the odds to run the Mini Great North Run and set a fundraising target of £500. He smashed the total and raised £3845 for the Changing Faces charity which helps and supports people with a visible difference.
Now Charlie, who goes to Newker Primary School in Chester-le-Street, has been nominated for a Best of Wearside Award.
Kimberley, who works as an administrator, said: “I would be blown away if he won. Every day, he puts his heart into things. If he won, it would be the icing on the cake.”
Charlie was in hospital at the RVI in Newcastle for seven days after the accident. He lost cartilage from his nose but he can’t have reconstruction surgery until he is older.
Mum added: “The specialists said it was one of the most severe cases they had seen.
“Charlie underwent emergency surgery where they used a skin graft from his thigh for his nose. But because some of the skin was missing from his forehead, they couldn’t stitch them, which now means he’s been left with some wide scars on his head. As he grow she will require reconstructive surgery to his nose and his other scars can be revised.”
But he still lives life to the full and loves both football and ju jitsu.
He is also an amazing fundraiser and joins a top-class list of nominations for this year’s Best of Wearside Awards. We want even more. This year’ s competition has backing from headline sponsor BGL, partner sponsor Utility Alliance, partner sponsor Gentoo, and category sponsor Marelli.
We thank them all for getting on board, and now comes your turn to get involved.
We hope you will inundate us with entries and make the job of the judges that much harder.
Take a look at the categories, read the entry instructions,and your favourite cause will be a step closer to hopefully winning a Best of Wearside title.