'˜Treatment will make Ellliot a real superhero'

The mum of a boy with cerebral palsy who finds everyday tasks difficult and painful is raising money to help her son to have a better life.
Elliot with his school friends, staff and family.Elliot with his school friends, staff and family.
Elliot with his school friends, staff and family.

Elliot Kennedy’s condition means his legs are painful and stiff. He gets extremely tired walking short distances and even getting dressed is difficult.

The four-year-old from Pontefract will have a vital operation to help his condition funded by the NHS in September. But the aftercare physiotherapy, which mum Hannah says is just as important, is not covered by the service.

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So she has decided to take matters into her own hands to raise funds, starting with a Disney-themed children’s ball at The Ambience in Pontefract on August 25.

Elliot Kennedy.Elliot Kennedy.
Elliot Kennedy.

She said: “After a range of tests, the doctors at Leeds General Infirmary offered Elliot the chance of life-changing surgery called selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR).

“SDR is the only surgical procedure that will permanently reduce or eliminate the tightness that causes Elliot to stumble and fall on a daily basis.

“Unfortunately, SDR is an extremely expensive procedure. The NHS have agreed to fund Elliot’s surgery but this is only half of the battle to give Elliot the best possible chance.”

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The operation will remove the tightness from Elliot’s movement, which will reduce the pain but effectively means he has to learn to walk again.

Hannah said: “We want to give a special little boy a chance to run and play with his friends.

“When he has the operation he thinks he is getting a superpower suit. We told him he would be able to run and jump and he asked ‘like a superhero?’.”

The ball will be held at 3pm, tickets are available by searching Elliot’s SDR journey on Facebook. The event will be followed by a charity walk from Sherburn-in-Elmet to Castleford Tigers’ ground on September 1.