‘I want people to see how much potential my son has’
Karen Newell, 48, is behind #ToyLikeMe and lives in York with her partner, David.
When Karen Newell noticed her newborn son Fred’s eyes looked wobbly, she mentioned it to her GP, hoping it wasn’t serious.
But the GP referred her to specialists and Fred was diagnosed with a rare condition, SEVR, meaning his retinas are folded. He is blind in one eye and has very limited sight in the other.
‘At first, I was devastated,’ says Karen. ‘A few days after diagnosis, I broke down talking to a group of mums I met for coffee.’
Karen didn’t realise that one of the mums, Rebecca, then 37, had lived with a progressive visual impairment since she was 17. ‘When she told me, I was astounded,’ says Karen. ‘I knew she had a hearing aid, but I’d assumed her eyesight was
fine. It made me reassess my expectations for Fred.’
Rebecca and Karen went on to be close friends, with Rebecca even becoming Fred’s godmother. ‘She was a great role model and, as Fred started using a white cane, one of the few friends who knew how frustrating it was to see people underestimate my son daily.’ Karen and Rebecca wanted to change the
‘People need to grow up with positive images’
way disabled people were perceived. ‘People need to grow up with positive images of disabled people in TV, games and toys,’ says Karen.
So, in 2015, the two started the campaign #ToyLikeMe to effect change in the toy industry. They target large brands by creating and sharing images of dolls with
hearing aids, Playmobil figures with guide dogs and even a Lego Santa in a wheelchair. ‘We’ve had a great response,’ says Karen. ‘Playmobil created a character in a wheelchair, and a Lottie doll launched in 2017 has a cochlear implant.’
Fred is now eight and doing well at school. ‘As he grows, I hope the world will begin to see children like him just as they are – ordinary kids, full of potential,’ says Karen.