In February 2013, Noah was born with Cytomegalovirus (CMV) a virus caught in pregnancy meaning he was born severely disabled with complex medical needs. He is deaf, blind, epileptic and has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and is unable to walk talk or sit unaided. 

Acorns have been with us from the beginning of our journey, giving us emotional and physical help. From having an amazing family support worker talking to us and helping us with the diagnosis and us adjusting to all the medical terms. We attended acorns as a family and were able to use the hydrotherapy pool as a whole family making memories. Noah also attended the playgroup which they held monthly and included siblings to this group. We were given respite days where nurses would take care of Noah's daily needs including giving medicines and feeds and picking up on his ques. This later lead to overnight stays for Noah which he continues to do. He loves spending time up at acorns, smiling laughing, swimming, playing in the sensory room, being around loads of children, he loves the gardens and loves the breeze on his face. The nurses give amazing care to all of the children and they treat them like their own. Acorns also give us home volunteers where 2 wonderful individuals give up there free time to come and help me - whether it be reading books to Noah and his 2 sisters, to ironing or simply giving me time to make tea or sort out general household jobs. Acorns  is such a happy place where every child is seen as an individual not a child with a disability - for which I love. 

I'll never be able to thank acorns enough for everything they have done for Noah and the rest of our family and which they will continue to do with Noah's  sisters seren and Halle  attending the sibling support groups. They give us time to be a family and make memories and they also give us overnight help where we can catch up on sleep and do things as a couple. Noah is so complex he can't simply have a babysitter he needs a trained and qualified nurse. 

As a starting point to repaying the amazing things we have been given from acorns, I will be taking part in the Great Wall of China Trek and fundraising and hoping to raise as much money as possible so that every family that needs acorns can benefit, please support me in this and saying a massive thank you.

It is going to be a massive challenge,  but I look at Noah's face and know I can do it. He has been through so much in his short Life and he will be in the forefront of my mind the whole trip. We will be climbing steeps parts of the wall over 5 days and remote areas including the heavenly ladder and placing a new brick in the rebuilding of the wall in honour of Noah and Acorns. 

Thanks  for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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