Partner Article

North East bosses urged to join life-changing campaign

A TEAM of Hartlepool companies has called on the wider North East business community to join their bid to help transform the life of an inspirational schoolboy.

Mitchell Spencer, age 10, from Hartlepool, was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy just after his first birthday, meaning he is unable to stretch his legs straight and his leg muscles are permanently tight.

As the messages from his brain to his legs short circuit, the simplest tasks become momentous struggles – climbing stairs, getting into the car, even putting his socks on.

Mitchell leads an active life, but with problems with his balance and his knees constantly bent as he walks on tiptoes, his muscles soon tire and he falls over frequently.

The life changing treatment for his condition – which will worsen as he gets older – is not available on the NHS, although there is a clinic in the US has a 100% success rate for the operation.

However at £40,000, the cost of the trip is far beyond the reach of Mitchell’s family – prompting a number of Hartlepool firms to rally round and do all they can to make the treatment a reality.

Digital agency Infotech 247 created the getmitchelltoamerica.co.uk website, complete with a video and links to make a donation, as well as providing financial sponsorship and other fundraising-related backing.

Adept Professional Services provided the time, expertise and resources of its offices to run the campaign and publicise it.

Fellow Hartlepool firms Energy Direct and SBS Joinery have also both backed the campaign substantially, while The Abstract Art Store donated an auction prize of bespoke, textured canvasses.

Despite the much-needed corporate backing alongside that of family and friends however, the campaign’s supporters are still struggling to raise the funds needed by their September deadline.

If Mitchell is to get on an aeroplane with severe physical difficulties and return within weeks with his condition completely cured, the campaign needs to uncover more generosity from North East bosses.

Kelly Adamson, managing director of Adept Professional Services, said: “We realise things are tighter than ever for North East businesses and there are many good causes out there for them to support, but even just a relatively small amount from their budgets would have a huge impact on a little boy’s life.

“Mitchell is an amazing boy who truly deserves this operation. I watched through tears, the determination that he demonstrated in the video on his website and I could see it in his eyes during his sports day race, against all of the odds.

“What really struck me was how he always appeared to be smiling in the video, each time he fell.”

The medical team at the St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri has a 100% success rate in 20 years of doing the operation which would transform Mitchell’s life.

It will mean delicate surgery on his spine which will identify the nerves that are sending the mixed messages to the muscles in his legs.

These will be cut leaving the remaining nerves intact, while he will also need an additional operation to lengthen his heel cords.

To support the campaign go to http://www.getmitchelltoamerica.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .