Our son Jake is a happy five year old with a love for trains, a cheeky smile and a sharp sense of humour. He also has cerebral palsy.

When Jake was about a year old, we were told that he had suffered a stroke whilst in the womb and would have a lifelong disability. We had so many questions at that time, but really all we wanted to know was this:

“Is he going to be OK?”

What exactly “OK” means, I still don’t know, but all we could do was focus on the present, and that meant finding therapies and support to give him the best chance of independence and quality of life.

That’s when we came across the Rainbow Centre for Conductive Education. It’s tricky to put into words exactly what the Rainbow Centre does, but it’s safe to say it was the lifeline we needed as we were coming out of a national lockdown. It gave us the chance to meet other families and enjoy our children in a safe and supportive space.

The sessions themselves include group and individual activities, songs, stories, and sensory experiences. The principles behind Conductive Education are unique and the staff there put everything into what they do.

Since starting at the centre, Jake has started walking, talking, reading, and writing. He attends a mainstream school with extra support, and the Rainbow Centre played a crucial role in getting that in place for him. They had our backs throughout the entire EHCP process, making it so much less daunting.

To give something back, Jake has bravely agreed to take part in a run around a giant inflatable obstacle course this July. It’s going to be a big challenge for him, and will take him a bit longer with the limited use of his left arm and leg, but we hope you’ll consider sponsoring him to give him that push to keep going. The promise of a medal at the end might help too!

At one point we didn’t know if Jake would ever walk unaided, but now he is able to take on challenges like this, and it’s incredible to think how far he’s come.

Every pound you can spare will support this amazing charity that has shown us we don’t have to face this journey alone.

After all, it’s thanks to them, we can look back at those worried parents from four years ago and tell them…

“Yes, he’s going to be OK”