SPECIALIST equipment has been donated to a terminally-ill four-year-old thanks to 5p plastic carrier bag sales.
Theo Clennon, who lives in the town centre, was diagnosed with a brain tumour early last year.
The four-year-old had surgery to remove the tumour, followed by months of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a life-saving stem cell transplant – including a £150,000 treatment in the USA funded by kind-hearted residents.
Terminally-ill Theo is still having daily journeys to hospital and clinic appointments, but he did not have specialist equipment needed to support him.
Theo ‘desperately’ needed a special car seat to support his head while travelling in the car – equipment that comes at a cost of nearly £2,000.
But charity Newlife, which supports disabled and terminally-ill children, has donated £1,472 for Theo’s car seat – partially-funded by the sale of 5p plastic bags at River Island stores.
The Brian Kennedy Trust donated the remaining £370 for the equipment.
Mum Natalie Hayward said: “Theo may not have long to live, so we are very fortunate that he is offered lots of help from charities.
“The help I get is essential to Theo’s improvement – physically and mentally – but travelling in the care every day becomes challenging without the correct equipment, and a specialist car seat is vital.
“We are out in the car almost every day for medical appointments of one sort or another with the occupational therapist, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, check-ups and tests.
“Theo is definitely a lot safer now while we are travelling, and the car seat also has a swivel base which makes it easier for me to get him in and out without the risk of banging his head.”
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