A fund set up to pay for a toddler’s life-changing operation, which isn’t available on the Welsh NHS, has been boosted with a £1,000 donation from Blackwood Rotary Club.
Two-year-old Awstin Raymond from Pontllanfraith has Spastic Diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy which affects the legs and causes symptoms like muscle stiffness and spasms.
If he doesn’t have treatment soon, it is likely that he will need painful operations in the future and spend his life in a wheelchair.
Treatment for the condition costs £50,000 and is unavailable on the NHS in Wales.
Blackwood Rotary Club decided to support Awstin after reading about fundraising efforts in Caerphilly Observer.
Club President, Bill Bleazard, said: “Awstin’s situation was brought to our attention and we’ve pledged £1,000.
“It’s a good cause and we hope other people will also make donations.”
Blackwood Rotary Club Secretary, Phillip Lane, said: “This is a big amount we’re giving. We want to help local causes as much as we can.”
The club raises money from activities such as social events, collections and film screenings at Maxime Cinema in Blackwood.
Awstin’s mother, Clare Williams, launched a fundraising campaign in August 2018, aiming to finance the procedure that she says will change Awstin’s life.
She said: “It’s overwhelming that they’ve been able to donate such a large amount.
“We just want to raise awareness because we’ve had to cancel recent fundraising events due to a lack of interest.
“All the help we can get is appreciated, we haven’t had any donations this big before.”
Currently, Awstin’s family have raised more than £15,000, but need to raise at least £35,000 before they can book the operation.
Ms Williams added: “Awstin tires easily and gets frustrated. He can’t really go on a trampoline or bouncy castle like other children his age.”
The treatment, Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR), cuts nerve fibres in the spinal cord, which can help improve vision, speech, and leg function.
SDR is usually reserved for children aged between two and four, who have the best chance of benefiting from the treatment.
Awstin is set to start school in September 2020, so Ms Williams is hoping her son can get the treatment as soon as possible.
A donation towards Awstin’s treatment can also be made online at www.gofundme.com/awstins-journey-for-sdr.