Cara and Jack Steel received an adapted wheelchair-friendly car just before Christmas, thanks to the Jersey Children’s Charity and Friends of SCBU.
The car means that 13-year-old Jack, who has Down’s Syndrome and autism and requires the use of a wheelchair, can now get around more easily. And it will mean that a trip in February to a feeding clinic in Southampton will be much easier to organise.
The new car will also enable the family to start planning a trip to one of Jack’s favourite places – Disneyland Paris.
According to his mother, Jack – who can walk but has to wear splints and needs a wheelchair to go any real distance – thinks the car is great and is like a ‘king on his throne’ when he travels in it.
‘It became clear that we really needed an adapted vehicle when Jack moved into an adult-sized wheelchair at the beginning of the year,’ she said. ‘I have problems with my back and it had become a real struggle dismantling the chair and getting it in and out of our old car. I would walk to places rather than go through the rigmarole of getting the chair in and out of the car.’ She added: ‘Jack is Disneyland-obsessed and we often drive over for a trip in the summer. It had become quite difficult in our old car so the first trip we will be taking once it’s safe to do so will be a trip to Disneyland. It will give me a lot of comfort knowing we will be using a car in which Jack is much safer and more comfortable.
‘We also plan to take the car to Southampton in February when Jack is due to attend Bursledon House, a special feeding clinic which is hoping to teach Jack to eat. When he was younger, he was very sick and suffered several aspiration pneumonias which left him scared to eat and resulted in him being entirely tube-fed. We have had a lot of problems with Jack’s feeding tube over recent months, which has resulted in several operations.
‘Due to these issues, the team in Southampton are trying to do all they can to encourage Jack to take some food orally and we hope Bursledon might help make that happen.’
Because of his autism, Jack finds flying difficult and taking him to the UK in the car will make the journey much easier, according to his mother.
Miss Steel thanked the children’s community nursing team, which helped to arrange the donation, and said: ‘The car really has been the most amazing gift, I can’t thank the charities enough for their generosity. This car is the best Christmas present and is going to make such a difference to us.’
