Thank you for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

We (myself, Darren Verschuren, and my awesome mother in-law Jean Hall) will be climbing the Yorkshire Peaks on Saturday 28th May to hopefully raise some much needed funds through the charity 'Tree of Hope' for an amazing little girl named Eden.

Tree of Hope support families with children with additional needs to reach their targets and understand the costs of equipment and therapy needs. Through using Gift Aid we can increase any funds donated which will be hugely beneficial. 

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 their core operating costs.

Eden is the three year old daughter of a very close family friend. She truly is amazing. She has a wicked sense of humour and such a kind nature. She enjoys playing imaginary games, being read stories, and spending time playing with her brothers. 

Eden also has Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL) and  Cerebral Palsy with Dystonia, a result of damage to areas of her brain. 

The PVL affects information being shared between the two lobes of her brain; she benefits from extra support to allow coordination of the left and right sides of her body. Therapy play ideas have hugely helped support this need.

Cerebral Palsy affects an area of her brain which supports movement and posture, this directly impacts her balance and ability to move independently.

The dystonia causes her muscle tone to fluctuate and needs support to protect her posture, spine and hip development.

Eden is at high risk of developing spinal and hip changes, but this can be minimised through postural support and changing positions throughout the day and night. Through use of specialist equipment, orthopaedic aids to manage her tone and support her posture from specialists. Their guidance for strengthening her muscles and movement provides reassurance and reduces the risks.

We are reaching out through this charity as her therapy needs have become harder for her family to self fund. Her equipment and therapy needs are incredibly expensive. Unfortunately, these needs will always be present to allow her to remain comfortable and are particularly important at this point of her development. She shows so much potential for independent skills to be developed and supported. These skills will allow more opportunities to be available to her as she grows up, but most importantly will prevent irreversible changes to her body.

The therapies and specialists all support her to gain better balance and take steps with a walker with guidance. It has been incredible to watch her develop, despite small steps, we continue to see positive progress. All her mum wants is for her to gain strength, experience weight bearing opportunities and manage her posture as this will all help to reduce the risks associated with cerebral palsy and dystonia, which can result in spinal scoliosis and hip dislocation. Already, Eden has experienced changes in her hips and therapy is recognised as being a positive preventative influence.

In order to continue to support Eden's wish to move and gain increased independence in her play and forthcoming education we are asking for any support you can offer to access her on-going therapy needs. 

Her mum strives to allow Eden to be able to access the same opportunities as her brothers and friends as Eden deserves to maximise her full potential.

Thank you for taking the time to read, we are eternally grateful at any interaction with this page if you are able to donate or just share via social media. This will really help Eden in the essential stages of her development to ensure she will have the best chance at the independence she deserves.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.