Luke has faced so many challenges in his short little life. Luke was diagnosed with autism at 4 years old, as he’s got older he has struggled with many aspects of life we all find ordinary. He sees the world differently than we do and for luke life is very black or white.

From the age of 2 years old I have been backwards and forwards to doctors and hospitals constantly fighting for him as he has struggled with pains in his legs. It’s been a constant battle, countless tests, many procedures all to be met with ‘we just don’t know what’s wrong’

This year luke was diagnosed with hereditary spastic paraplegia which is a rare genetic condition and we are not sure what the future will hold regarding his movement, waking and general day to day life.

We have good days and bad days - days where he can get around and days where he simply couldn’t get out of bed as pain was too bad.

Luke battles with his mental health and the services we have been offered are extr limited and huge waiting lists. Only people very close to us will know that Luke had a sucicide attempt last year. We now feel it’s important for us to share this because even at crisis point we received very little support for him which is heartbreaking💔 As a mother it’s soul destroying to watch your child suffer and not have any professional help. I have always been extremely grateful that Luke and myself have the most amazing friends and family around us to help where they can.

We know we are not alone in this and mental health for children is at crisis point, our children need to be heard. Throughout everything luke is going through all he wants to do is make a difference.

Anyone that knows luke will know that no matter what is thrown at him he battles it head on. He is always wanting to make a change and helping others is always the top of his priority list.

He has decided he wants to set himself a challenge to walk 25 miles in the month of April. This has been a long time planning as we know how hard this will be on him both mentally and physically but he is adamant he wants to do it to raise money to help other children like himself.

Luke attends Eppleton Academy Primary School and we couldn’t be more grateful for everything they do to help him day in day out. He struggles with so many aspects of everyday school life but the little things they put in place for him make his day a little easier.

Even on the hardest of days they always go above and beyond to ensure he remains in school, calm and relaxed.

Luke decided when he began to plan his fundraising he wanted to help the school.

In his own words he said ‘he wanted to make school life a little easier to other children like him’

Luke went along to school with his ideas and had a meeting with his head teacher and explained his thoughts and plans. They decided any money he raisesd would go towards equipment for breakout sessions to help with children’s mental health and well being.

Luke is vey passionate in trying to help others, all he ever says is he doesn’t want other children to feel like he does.

Luke will be leaving primary school in July to begin secondary school but is very keen on leaving a legacy behind and before he goes he wants to help as many children as he can. Ivy, Luke’s sister is also autistic and is starting to struggle with some aspects of school life - this makes luke more determined and why he is wanting to start his walk on 1st April.

I have set him up a facebook page where we both will be sharing his plans and he will be documenting his walks, thoughts and ideas. Please give it a follow and leave him a message it really would mean the world to him Luke’s Walk for Wellness