Thomas is daring to dream of his own bicycle
LOVABLE Thomas Wright likes nothing more than a fun day out with his family cycling.
But the 13-year-old is not like every other teen and struggles with Global Developmental Delay, Epilepsy, and severe learning difficulties.
So when Thomas goes out with mum Joanne, dad Colin and nineyear-old brother Will, he needs to ride on a special bike his dad pedals.
The family have been hiring the specialist bikes from Newcastle’s Newburn Activity Centre for their days out, but this means they can only cycle on certain paths.
So they decided Thomas, who was also born with Microcephaly, needed his own wheelchair bicycle - only to find out it would cost almost £7,000.
Family and friends rallied around the Wrights and began to fundraise to help them achieve their target. Their generosity raised more than £3,000, but now the family of Lobley Hill in Gateshead need your help to make their dream come true.
The Sunshine Fund is hoping to raise the remainder of the money needed in our Go Bananas campaign
The charity focuses efforts on buying specialist equipment for local children in need, who can’t get equipment on the NHS or by any other means.
Joanne, 46, said: “Sometimes it’s not all about practical things and it’s about them being able to have some fun. Some people will take things like this for granted.”
Full-time carer Joanne and engineer Colin, 47, have to help Thomas with everything including getting him ready to go to Dryden School near Deckham. He needs care 24/7 as he has no awareness of danger.
So their family days enjoying the outdoors mean the world to them, and to Thomas who loves every minute of it.
“He’s a very sociable and loving boy, he just loves to be out and about,” Joanne added. “He’s very popular everywhere he goes because he’s so friendly. He just loves people.
“He can only walk so far as he gets tired and then I have to push him around in his wheelchair while his dad and brother go on bike rides and it’s not fair on him.
“He understands and it upsets him. It’s just a shame he can’t just do all the fun things everyone else can. This will make him feel included.
“It’s also a shame that this costs so much but we’ve had amazing support from our family and friends - I even had people knocking on my door with envelopes of money. It’s just been fabulous.”
To donate and help Thomas and the other Go Bananas kids:
Visit - https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/ecsf/ gobananas2018
Text - GBSF18 £3 to 70070. Send a cheque or pop in to The Chronicle Sunshine Fund ncjMedia Ltd, 2nd floor, Eldon Court, Percy Street, Newcastle, NE1 7JB