The photo is of my friend Charlotte and her beautiful daughter Eleanor who benefits from the wonderful work they do at the Children's Trust.  For Charlotte and Eleanors full story please see the bottom of the page.

With the company of some friends I shall be walking 10 miles under the stars and help raise funds for children with multiple disabilities for whom a good night's sleep is a rare luxury

Why walk?
Every parent hopes their child will be born healthy and grow up without serious injury or illness. Tragically sometimes these expectations are shattered: children are born with disabilities or become disabled as a result of an accident or illness. The Children's Trust is here to help these children and their families.

Where and what time?
The circular walk will start and finish at the Pavillion in Priory Park, Reigate Surrey at 10pm on Saturday 25th September. The route will take us through the surrounding areas of Reigate and Redhill.

 

Charlotte and Eleanor

One of the parents take part is Charlotte, a mother of three from Reigate who will be walking for her 14-year-old daughter, Eleanor, who receives specialist care and education at The Children’s Trust. Charlotte will be joined by family, friends and parents from Sandcross School, where her youngest son, attends. 
Charlotte and her husband were thrilled when their daughter, Eleanor, was born. Eleanor appeared to be healthy and, although nothing was immediately apparent, Charlotte was convinced that something was very seriously wrong with their daughter.  She said: “It was a mother’s instinct: Eleanor was always crying or screaming and hardly ever slept and, despite various tests, doctors could find nothing wrong. Months later, after an MRI scan at Atkinson Morley Hospital, Eleanor was diagnosed with a very rare brain disorder – lissencencephaly and scizencephaly, one affecting the left side of her brain and one affecting her right.  It was a devastating blow and we were told that she was not expected to survive the first year of her life.”
 
It was at this point that Eleanor was referred to The Children’s Trust for palliative care.   However, Eleanor proved the doctors wrong and 14 years later is now in her third year as a student at the Trust’s residential school ‘The School for Profound Education’ (formerly St Margaret’s), which provides education for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties. Charlotte said: “Although Eleanor cannot walk, or talk and has limited vision, she has excellent hearing and she is a very happy child - always smiling and laughing.  She loves being in the company of others. Eleanor receives the best possible care at the Trust, in a home-from-home environment, with the 24/7 specialist care that her complex health needs requires.  Knowing that she is settled and in expert hands means that life has really turned around for us and, for the first time, our family was able to go away on holiday this year. Knowing the difference that The Children’s Trust has made to Eleanor’s life and my family’s lives, I am determined to make a difference too.  I hope that by taking part in Sleepwalk, I will help awareness of The Children’s Trust and its marvellous work.” 

 

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