Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge Online
Events 
In March 2016 the Rotary Club of Chelwood
Bridge was approached by a family, living in the Chew
Valley, with a request for help in the purchase of a
specialised walker. Their youngest daughter Edie was
born with a rare chromosome abnormality which resulted
in her having open heart surgery. She also has learning
difficulties, spinal and joint problems, reflux and was
nonverbal. For her first 3 years Edie was solely tube
fed and during this time suffered four seizures. She was
unable to walk for some time but learnt to crawl and
eventually pull stand. Despite all of
the above Edie constantly exceeded the expectations of
health professionals and was the happiest, joyful,
determined little girl you could wish to meet.
“The Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge very kindly helped us purchase a Hart Walker for our disabled daughter and we are sure that is what kept our daughter Edie going on the road of walking independence as the Hart Walker enabled her to get in the rhythm with confidence of putting 1 step in front of the other.
Edie is doing very well and is now a confident walker but due to her severe and worsening scoliosis she is starting to get tired more quickly and becomes uncomfortable so her walking stamina has weakened a little bit but her spinal surgeon has said her learning to walk will have had a profound positive effect on slowing the progression of her curvature down.
She remains the happiest, joyful and determined little girl she has always been.”
The Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge was pleased to have been given the opportunity to help Edie and we all wish her well, in the certainty that she will continue to amaze us all with her progress.
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The family felt that
Edie would greatly benefit from the use of a
Hart Walker. This is a telescopically
adjustable, young person, walking device that
encourage the most natural gait pattern possible.
Unfortunately, this walker was not available
through the NHS and would have to be funded
privately. The Club unanimously agreed and the
walker was purchased in April of 2016. In September of 2020 the Club received the following from the family: |
“The Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge very kindly helped us purchase a Hart Walker for our disabled daughter and we are sure that is what kept our daughter Edie going on the road of walking independence as the Hart Walker enabled her to get in the rhythm with confidence of putting 1 step in front of the other.
Edie is doing very well and is now a confident walker but due to her severe and worsening scoliosis she is starting to get tired more quickly and becomes uncomfortable so her walking stamina has weakened a little bit but her spinal surgeon has said her learning to walk will have had a profound positive effect on slowing the progression of her curvature down.
She remains the happiest, joyful and determined little girl she has always been.”
The Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge was pleased to have been given the opportunity to help Edie and we all wish her well, in the certainty that she will continue to amaze us all with her progress.
