In April 2021 our beautiful Caitlin was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia, a rare, genetic condition that affects mobility, balance, fine and gross motor skills, speech, eyesight, hearing, heart function and endocrine system.  This horrible condition is degenerative and potentially life limiting.  There is no cure, and it cannot be made better through medication.

As a double whammy, and after battling for many years, Caitlin was then diagnosed with autism in September 2022. Autistic people see, hear and feel the world in many different ways and things that might seem straightforward can be confusing. Autism is also a spectrum condition, which means that although there are common difficulties, people with autism will be affected in a different variety of ways. For Caitlin, this makes medical appointments and treatments harder, and just generally makes it harder for her to understand and accept her medical conditions.

Like many families, we are constantly struggling with the multiple medical appointments and to obtain the equipment and adaptations Caitlin needs to improve her quality of life.  NHS commissioned services constantly reduce the amount of support and types of equipment they can supply, leaving us with a constant battle to ensure that Caitlin gets a good quality of life.

7.5% of all donations to Tree of Hope in relation to this appeal will be allocated to the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope to cover our core operating costs. If we raise insufficient funds, or surplus funds, then the funds will be used, if appropriate, to fund support for our child’s needs in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objects.  If in those circumstances we are unable to use all or part of the funds for the benefit of our child in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objectives, then any funds that cannot be used will be transferred to be used for the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope.