Sweet dreams for Sofia after 3k raised
A four-year-old girl with cerebral palsy can enjoy a safe night’s sleep thanks to generous fundraisers who have coined in the cash for her new bed.
Sofia McCubbin, of Dalrymple, was in desperate need of a new supportive bed as the NHS cannot fund a child’s profiling bed and only offer second-hand adult hospital beds. Now, thanks to kindhearted donators who raised £3000 in 24 hours, Sofia - who was born 15 weeks premature - can sleep comfortably.
Mum Melissa Berretti, 27, said: “We are so thankful of the amazing people who have donated to this and how quickly the money has been raised.The bed will mean she’s got a safe place to sleep, she’s able to be hoisted to and from the bed and it’s just an amazing bed that will help her for years and years to come.
“She’s still in a toddler bed just now because the NHS expected us to take a used, old, grubby adult hospital bed which you can imagine for a kid is pretty scary.
“We’ve fundraised to get her a beautiful, colourful hospital bed that’s more child friendly.
“It’s just a shame that the NHS don’t have the funding to provide these for kids because normal kids don’t have to go through this; they have the choice of beautiful beds but disabled kids are just chucked to the used stuff.They’ve got a hard enough life as it is without not being able to get nice things.”
The profiling bed costs £3,700 and is complete with a padded headboard and clear vinyl siderails to allow Sofia to be safe yet still able to see through the bed and not feel too enclosed. Melissa, who also has seven-month old Alfie, and Sofia’s dad Scott will put money towards the remainder of the cost. Sofia, who attends Dalrymple Nursery, is set to start P1 at Hillside School in Cumnock after the summer holidays, which is complete with a hydrotherapy pool, a colourful sensory classroom and a sunken trampoline.
Melissa added: “She absolutely loves the water, so the fact that she gets to do that every week will be her favourite part.”
You can donate at https://www.justgiving. com/crowdfunding/sofiaprincessbed