Story
We are treking 22 miles through the Caerphilly Ridgeway to help raise funds for this absolutely fantastic cause!
http://your.caerphilly.gov.uk/countryside/caerphillychallengeseries
Rudy was born with multiple hemangeoma's (a benign tumour filled with blood) on his face and body and unbeknown to Rudy's family and medical staff these haemangeomas were also in his brain. At just one week old, the hemangeomas in Rudy's brain bled significantly and left Rudy fighting for his life.
A determined little Rudy thankfully pulled through and after many weeks in hospital, he was well enough to return home. However, Rudy has been left with considerable damage to the left side of his brain and has right-sided hemipareisis. He also suffers from epilepsy and has low muscular tone, meaning all the normal baby milestones are extremely difficult for him to achieve. But despite all this Rudy is an extremely happy and contented baby!!
To try and help Rudy reach his full potential and to help with his physical and cognitive development, Rudy's parents Amy and Matthew, have started taking him to a therapy centre in Somerset, run by a charity called Brainwave.
Brainwave is an independent UK charity that helps children, between the ages of 6 months to 12 years, who have a brain injury, genetic condition or Developmental Delay. It exists to help these children achieve their full potential. That potential may be anything from helping a child walk or ride a bike to recognising colours or writing their name.
Rudy first visited the Brainwave centre in November 2012 and following a two day assessment the therapists designed a daily Exercise Programme for him, specifically suited to his needs. With a lot of hard work, Rudy made much progress and at his reassessment visit in March, he gained his first certificate of achievement for learning to roll over to both sides!
Rudy will continue to have reassessment visits in Somerset every four-six months, where his exercise programme will be modified/changed to allow for further progress. His current exercise programme is aiming to increase his upper body and core strengths so that he can sit unaided.
Brainwave relies entirely on donations from people like you.
£3,500 is the annual cost to Brainwave of supporting each of the 550 children on the programme, so you will understand how valuable your contribution will be.
20% of the donations received will be put towards Rudy’s own costs and 80% to Brainwave.
Full details about Brainwave can be found on their website: www.brainwave.org.uk
Thank you very much for your donation! J