Below is a small sample of the types of grants we provide.

Christopher

Christopher aged ten suffers with spina bifida, hydrocephalus and requires BiPAP ventilation at night.  He has undergone many major surgeries in his short life, including major spinal surgery.  We are pleased to announce that Christopher is the new owner of a invacare electric wheelchair that is height adjustable and has a tilt and recline function.  This equipment is going to greatly improve Christophers independence and confidence.  The wheelchair company even managed to get the chair sprayed in the exact colour of his beloved football team, Blackpool FC.

Zoe

Zoe aged forteen suffers with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and scoliosis.  She is wheelchair bound and unable to stand and weight bare.  We are pleased to have puchased Zoe a leckey standing frame, so she can carry out activities such as art and baking.  This equipment has given Zoe huge social benefits along with imperative health benefits.  We also rasied a little extra so was able to provide Zoe with a P-Pod seat to allow her to sit more comfortably.

Catcote School

We are pleased to have provided Catcote School for special needs children with £5,990 for two sensory trolleys .  The students have been able to use the sensory trolleys to learn new skills, communicate, be calm and de-stress.  The trolleys have been proved as essential items to their well being and progress.

Leo

Leo aged three suffers with severe brittle bone disease and has suffered many fractures.  He was due to start nursery this year and was in desperate need of a wheelchair to enable him to be mobile and have the freedom to get around independently.  The NHS provided a voucher for 50% of the cost and we were pleased to provide the balance.  This wheelchair has given Leo the freedom he longed for. 

Annabel

Annabel aged three suffers with osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease).  Her OT requested funding for a specially adapted trike with a low gear as it is imperative she builds up overall body strength, as she is unable to pedal a normal bike.  We are pleased to have purchased her a trike which now forms part of her physiotherapy to increase strength and stamina before she attends school.

Bethan

Bethan aged twelve suffers with scoliosis and brittle bone disease.  She has had twenty four fractures resulting in her countless surgeries.  Her Scoliosis is severe and she recently underwent spinal fusion, which is a major operation.  We are pleased to have been able to puchase her a touch screen tablet for her to be able to use when in hospital and at home.

Ashley

Ashley aged four suffers with spina bifida and hydrocephalus.   Ashley longed to play with her older brother and children outside, but was unable to ride a standard bike.  We are pleased to have purchased her a handcycle so she can now partake in daily exercise and enjoy outdoor play with her peers. 

Jack

Jack aged eleven suffers with a wide range of disabilities . At the age of six Jack suffered a cardiac arrest resulting in global hypoxic iscahemic brain injury and severe scoliosis.  Jack is unable to verbally communicate and we are pleased to have puchased him an I-pad so he can access the special eduncational needs apps for sensory stimuli. 

Amiee

Aimee aged six suffers with Dravet Syndrome and low bone density.  We were pleased to be able to provide funds for small sensory items to motivate her learning at home and also some sleeping bags to allow her feeding tube and pulse omimeter probe to stay in place during the night .

Patrick

Patrick suffers with Kyphoscoliosis, restrictive lung disease and dislocated hips.  We were pleased to be able to provide funds for social activities for Patrick to enjoy with his mother and siblings.  They have been to the cinema to see the new Batman movie, a trip to the beach,  a trip to a water park and a planed day out to a dinosaur park. 

Lennon

Lennon aged six suffers with vacteral association, scoliosis, absent kidney, chronic lung disease, a heart defect and has tethering of the spine.  Lennon is struggling at school due to his shortened digits on his hands which is making it hard to write.  He is missing a lot of school due to his many hospital visits as he is under twelve different consultants.  We were pleased to be able to purchase him a touch screen tablet so he may use it at school and whilst in hospital and recovery.

Shannon

Shannon aged eight suffers with Spina bifida and Scoliosis.  She required a wheelchair for long distances as she was unable to self-propel herself in the old NHS wheelchair, as it was too bulky.  We are pleased to have purchased her a new lightweight wheelchair that will greatly improve her confidence.

Summer-Lily

Summer-Lily aged three suffers with spinal bifida, talapis and hydrocephalus.  We are pleased to have been able to purchase her an I-pad 2 to enable her to play fun games and educate her.  She is unable to take part in games with other children, and is so happy to switch on her new piece of equipment each day.  Her mum said she has never seen her so excited.

Sara

Sara aged nine suffers with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, chiari malformation and epilepsy.  We are please to have been able to purchase her an I-Pad 2 to use for educational purposes whilst in hospital, and also fun apps to pass the time whilst in recovery.

Lili-Su

Lili-su aged 11 suffers with Worster Drought syndrome, scoliosis and epilepsy.  We are pleased to announce that Lili-Su is the new proud owner of a specially adapted trike.  This item is not funded by the NHS, and it is imperative that children with these conditions keep up stamina and upper body strength.  We are happy that Lili-Su is now able to use a bike with her brothers.  

Lauren

Lauren aged thirteen suffers with scoliosis and a rare chromosome disorder.  We were pleased to be able to provide Lauren with a new TV and some new items of furniture for her bedroom. Lauren is very happy with her modern bedroom, and we are sure you agree it looks fit for a princess. 

Virginia

Virginia aged four suffers with epilepsy, PEHO syndrome and scoliosis.  She is unable to sit and stand unaided due to having no control of her muscles.  PEHO syndrome is an extremely rare neurodegenerative condition that gets worse with time.  Her old NHS buggy was to large to fit in the car and did not suit her needs.  The family were socially isolated due to being unable to go anywhere of distance, so we are pleased to have purchased them a new specialist buggy which has enabled them to access trips in the community and enhance Virginia's quality of life. 

Christmas presents for Queens Hospital, Romford & The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham. 

We are pleased to have again provided both hospitals with Argos vouchers to provide children under the hospitals care with Christmas presents.  Both hospitals were overjoyed to receive £1,000 each in vouchers again , and we look forward to working with them again during 2012.   

Tegan

Tegan suffers with Spinal Bifida, hydrocephalus and chiari malformation.  Thanks to your wonderful donations Tegan is the proud new owner of a dynamic stander.  This piece of equipment has given a child who would otherwise be wheelchair bound greater independence and mobility.  Even more important this mobile wheeled stander helps strengthen critical motor skills so she can progress towards independent standing and she can now self-propel herself in a standing position alongside playmates.

Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham

We are so pleased to announce that we raised £3,000 for Nottingham Children's Hospital for the purchase of paediatric orthopaedic equipment on the ward.  Master Myles Sketchley presented the cheque on our behalf, he has been a patient there for many years and is very close to our hearts.

Dylan

Dylan aged seven suffers with spina bifida and chairi malformatio.  Dylans previous wheelchair was not suited to his needs, so we were pleased to purchase him a new army camouflage chair.  His mother has informed us he is over the moon with his new equipment.

Megan

Megan was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was six months old.  She suffers with scoliosis and is wheelchair bound.  She has had major surgeries including growth rods for her scoliosis.

Megan is a wonderful happy child who has overcome so much in her short life, and a true inspiration to us here.

We are pleased to have been able to purchase her a hand cycle, which will allow her to partake in outdoor play with independence.

Victoria

Victoria aged ten suffers with global developmental delay, learning difficulties, complex bone conditions and seizures.  Her old wheelchair no longer meets her needs and was too large to fit in the family car. 

We are pleased to have purchased her a brightly coloured pink wheelchair, which has made her very happy.

Katie

Katie aged six suffers with scoliosis, Sotos syndrome, global developmental delay, epilepsy and learning difficulties.  We are pleased to have purchased Katie a specially adapted trike.  This will enable her to build up her body strength, improve co-ordination  as well as allow her to play with optimum safety.  Photo's will follow shortly.

Ti-en

Ti-en aged twelve suffers with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and scoliosis and requires help with every aspect of his daily living.  He is a very bright young boy and loves cooking and is also a good friend of one of our little stars, Myles.  We are pleased to have been able to provide a grant for adaptations to his bedroom to house his medical equipment.

Leonie & Aaliyah

Leonie aged nine and Aaliyah aged four both suffer with scoliosis, Escobar syndrome, multiple pterygium syndrome, congenital heart disease and many other conditions.   We are pleased to have funded hippotherapy at a special horse riding school.  The children are really enjoying the horse riding and it has really helped their confidence.

Ben

Ben aged twelve suffers with spina bifida, hydrocephaulis, agensis of the corpus callusom, chiari malformation, hypermobility, autism and learning difficulties.   We are pleased to have been able to purchase him a new electric wheelchair more suitable to his needs.   The chair cost £6,000 and will greatly increase his independence. 

Haris

Haris aged one suffers with hypotonia, macrocephally and has an enlarged liver and spleen.  He has extremely poor muscle tone and is unable to sit.  His mother contacted the CPP Centre in bedfordshire who retrain the central nervous system, and we are pleased to be able to fund £2,400 to enable Haris to continue attending the centre.  We have sent children to this centre in the past and their results have been amazing.

Sauk Family Day Trips

We are pleased to have been able to fund the Scoliosis Association for family day trips across the UK and provided £3,000 during 2010.   We have recently funded £3,000 to enable them to repeat the project this year.  Below are some photos of last years trips and we look forward to funding them again in the future.   These trips are a fantastic opportunity for families and young people with Scoliosis to get together and have fun.   Please click on the logo above to be directed to their site.

Ryan

Ryan aged three suffers with osteogensis imperfecta, nystagmus and downs syndrome.  We were pleased to be able to complete the balance of his trike and purchase him a new TV and I-Pad.

Eleanor

Eleanor suffers with severe Extended Oligoarticular Arthritis.  The condition is always flaring up and caused her extreme discomfort.  Despite everything Eleanor endures, she is excelling at school and has a musical talent way beyond her age group, and she is also working towards her grade seven in piano.  Music is a way for Eleanor to express herself and is a fantastic therapy for her arthritis.  We are pleased to have been able to send Eleanor on musical courses and we look forwarded to supporting her for years to come. 

Summer Holidays Begin

Our holidays homes are fully booked out all summer, and photos have started to come in.  These holidays come as a life saver to families who are in desperate need of respite and a break from their everyday routine, doctors appointments and daily stresses.  We will keep uploading photos as they come in.

Rebecca-Louise

Rebecca aged two suffers with Spina Bifida, Hydrocephlus, Scoliosis and dislocated hips.  She is unable to walk and can only get around by crawling.  Despite all this Rebecca-Lousie is always smiling and has a wonderful big family to support her.   We were pleased to be able to purchase her a Jonsport Trolly.

Abigail

Abigail aged three suffers with Scoliosis, holoprocencephaly and billateral hearing loss.  She also has a cleft palate, fused jaw and fused ribs.  They recently received funding for a specialist buggy with a supportive seat, as the family love to go walking and their old wheelchair was not suitable for the countryside terrain. 

We thought what better way to complement her new chair, than provide the family with funds for social activities for them to enjoy with Abigail.  As you can see from the photos below, the family have been making the most of their new found freedom.

Ellisha

Ellisha aged five suffers with Spinal Bifida, Scoliosis and a split spinal cord.  Ellisha has had a really difficult last few years and we wanted to give her something to lift her spirits, so we decided to raise the funds to decorate her bedroom and purchase new furniture.

We are pleased to announce her room is now complete and her family were able to get a new bed and mattress, bed guard, Peppa Pig bedding and curtains, Peppa Pig lamp shade and light shade, bedside unit, chest of drawers, wardrobe, pink TV and DVD combi, and the bedroom was plastered and painted in her favourite colour Pink.

Her mother said "Ellisha is one happy little girl now and cant wait to go to bed at night, without your help we would have never been able to do this for Ellisha, so a big thank you for making this possible."

We would like to thank the Ipswich Greyfriars Rountable for donating £450 towards this appeal, and the wonderful fundraising they do for their local community.

Jessica

Jessica aged ten was diagnosed with Ganglioneurpblastoma in 2005, which is a rare form of childhood cancer.  On a routine check-up the doctors found a shadow on her chest, which was discovered to be 15cm tumour wrapped around her spine.  She developed severe scoliosis when a part of the tumour was removed as it had been supporting her spine.  Jessica is unable to have spinal surgery due to complications with her tumour, so it is imperative that she has ongoing specialist physiotherapy and back braces to hold off the curve as much as possible.

Below is a photo of Jess with her new brace, and we are pleased to announce that we have been able to raise the funds for Jess to continue her therapy and we would like to thank Hallmark Healthcare for making this possible.

Christmas Wish Appeal

Every year we ask each child to pick their most wanted toy, and we send the families Argos vouchers to ensure that their child opens this present on Christmas morning.

We managed to raise a staggering £7,350 and ensured the families received the vouchers early enough to beat the Christmas rush.  We are sure you agree that there is no better gift than being able to make a child smile on this very special day, and thanks to your help we were able to spread the joy of Christmas to so many children.

We also donated £1,000 of Argos vouchers to the Tropical Lagoon Ward, Queen's Hospital, Romford.  These vouchers were used to supply presents to children spending Christmas in hospital.

Tropical Lagoon play specialist Lyn Clark said " We are enormously grateful to Strongbones for their continued support.  We can never predict how many children will end up spending Christmas in hospital, but we do know that they will all receive some very special presents."

Father Christmas also leaves a stocking on the end of every bed for when children wake up on Christmas day and the £1,000 we donated covered the cost of a larger gift for every child that stayed on Tropical Lagoon on December 25th.

Please click on the link below to see the Recorder newspaper article.

http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/charity_brings_christmas_joy_to_children_at_queen_s_hospital_1_733374

We also donated £1,000 to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital for patients suffering with Bone Cancer, many of whom have very limited life expectancies.  The vouchers were used to purchase games and various electrical goods to boost morale.

Senior Social Worker Hilary Hollingsworth from the Orthopaedic Trust said " As always, Strongbones have brought so much pleasure and relief to these patients, and we are so very grateful."

Below are some photos of the children receiving their gifts on Christmas morning.

Myles

Myles aged ten suffers with cerebral palsy, kyphosis and scoliosis.  He has spent a vast amount of his life in hospital.  He is unable to walk or sit unaided, and it was recommended that he would benefit hugely from rebound therapy to give him therapeutic exercise.

Thanks to your wonderful donations Myles is now the proud owner of a rebound trampoline.  The cost of this specialist trampoline was £2,000 and it has greatly improved Myles quality of life by being able to provide him physiotherapy on a day to day basis.  Thanks to your help his parents can now implement a hugely beneficial exercise regime from his own home.

Below is a photo of Myles with his new rebound trampoline.

David

David suffers with severe osteoporosis, learning difficulties and weismann netter syndrome, which causes an unnatural bending of the bones and dislocating of the joints. David has a wonderful personality and a very happy disposition. Whatever comes his way medically, he just gets on with, copes and overcomes. Social services initially contacted us to help provide David with funds for social activities, as the family were socially isolated. We were pleased to be able to provide David with £1,200 over a year to fund day trips for the family.

Due to David being unable to talk we purchased him a light writer, which is a specialist communication aid, which produces a synthesised voice when typed into. This has allowed David to communicate with the outside world, as his only form of communication was sign. The Cost of this equipment was £3,200.

Mikey

Mikey aged 4 suffers with Jouberts syndrome, which is a genetic malformation of the brain causing developmental difficulties and breathing difficulties.

He was in desperate need of sensory equipment to be installed at his home. This equipment has increased his opportunities to play and provide mental stimuli, which is imperative for children who are globally delayed.

We were pleased to purchase him a Rompa sound unit, which is proven to have a calming effect on children with neurological conditions.

The cost of this equipment was £1000.

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital Cancer Patients

We provide crisis grants to help families who have children suffering with bone cancer. This includes bills that can’t be covered due to parents having to give up employment to become full time carers to their children. We provide equipment, general toys and items to make them as comfortable as possible. We have very strong ties with the Birmingham Royal Orthopaedic Hospital social services, and receive regular applications from them. We are sure you understand that we do not publish details of these children due to the delicate nature of their circumstances.

Joshua

Joshua aged 11 suffers with cerebral palsy, kyphoscoliosis, epilepsy and severe learning difficulties. He has complex physical and mental needs and requires constant care by his parents. He is wheelchair bound and was using a manual chair until we got it upgraded with a power pack to make it electric. The cost of this modification was £1,200.

Taylor

Taylor aged 9 has suffered with cerebral palsy from birth. This condition left him with severe mobility problems and he was only able to walk with the use of a walking frame. His mother found a specialist therapy centre in Bedfordshire which specialises in strengthening muscles and re-training of the central nervous system. This therapy costs £2,200 for a two-week therapy. The NHS does not provide this therapy as it is deemed too expensive.

Since starting his therapy, and to his mother’s astonishment, he can now walk unaided for short periods. Below is a thank you from his mother.

I have a beautiful son called Taylor, at birth I was told he probably wouldn’t survive, and if he did he wouldn’t be able to do anything for himself and would be completely reliant on me for everything. I couldn't believe that this would be the life my son had to face and so I started to look into various treatments.

For the past two and a half years, we have attended a physiotherapy centre in Bedfordshire, which works incredibly well for Taylor. Last year, I approached Strongbones to help with funding, for this treatment, and we were delighted when they said they would help.

The money that strongbones provided enabled me to pay for Taylor’s treatments and took a huge weight off my shoulders, as I would have had to fund raise to provide this for him. Taylor is now able to walk independently or with use of a walking frame, get himself in and out of a chair with minimal help, has understandable speech, can hold a glass and is doing magnificently. I am incredibly proud of his achievements, but this has only been possible, due to the kindness of friends and family and wonderful charities such as strongbones.

The support that they provide is essential and has made a huge difference to my family. I will never be able to thank them enough for their help. Taylor will always have cerebral palsy, but I know that with the correct help he will continue to enjoy greater independence and a much fuller life.

Computers

We are always keen to fund laptops and PC’s to children to enable them to continue their education at home whilst in recovery or receiving treatment. This equipment also allows them to keep in contact with friends, allowing them to be less socially isolated. We were pleased to be able to provide six new laptops to Emma, Bradley Tara, Molly, Miriam and Nathan.

Lone brothers wheelchair access

The Lone family have two children that suffer with cerebral palsy and scoliosis. They both attend different special need schools and are picked up each morning by a school bus. Both children are wheelchair bound and need to be loaded onto the bus each day. Despite having one disabled space, cars were parked tightly to each side of the spot and the bus could not get access or turn around down the road, and the curb was extremely high where their allocated spot was. A drop curb was needed and the local highway agency quoted the price at £1,800, but the council awarded a 50% discount, as both children are wheelchair users. This left a balance of £900 to be raised, and we were pleased to be able to provide the funds.

Ellisha’s high chair.

Ellisha aged five suffers with spinal bifida, scoliosis and a split spinal cord. Ellisha has endured many procedures and hospital stays in her short life. We were pleased to be able to purchase her a specialist high chair and specialist lavatory seating at a cost of £500.

Jack Binstead hand cycle

Jack aged 13 suffers with brittle bone disease and has used a wheelchair since the age of three and has suffered over 50 broken bones. It is his dream to compete in a paralympic event for his country. He started training for fun, and it wasn’t long before he became really competitive and started to set his goals high. He trains a minimum of three times a week with velocity wheelchair racers, plus gym twice a week and swims once a week.

He recently took part at the Swiss national games and brought home one silver and two bronze medals. He is a true inspiration to children with osteogenisis imperfecta. Jack has his own website at www.jackbinstead.co.uk where you can keep updated of his progress and race results.

We were pleased to be able to help with a donation towards a new hand training cycle. Keep up the good work Jack! .

Sauk day trips MULTI COUNTY DAY TRIPS

Children & adolescents with scoliosis can experience severe emotional and psychosocial difficulties, which can lead them to struggle with low self-esteem, bullying at school and body image disturbances. Due to all of this they find it hard to make friends and become part of a group.

We are pleased to announce that we have funded £3000 for the Scoliosis Association to organise the following social activities.

London – London Eye & Aquarium with lunch

Suffolk – Thetford Forest Go Ape (adventure course) with lunch

Bristol – Explore-At-Bristol Science Centre with lunch

Yorkshire – Leeds Karting Nation with lunch

Cardiff – Dr Who Exhibition with lunch.

Scotland – Edinburgh Zoo

Each trip will consist of ten children and ten adults from the county. These trips will enable the children to feel less isolated and gain confidence by seeing first hand how other children with there condition cope with taking part in the activities. We also hope that the parents will be able to form relationships with other parents from there own area and provide support to each other.

Link to sauk site thanking us

http://bell.unitedhosting.co.uk/~admin368/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=1&cntnt01returnid=64

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