Max is now unable to go outside and join in activities with his family
An 11-year-old boy who lost his sight to brain cancer when he was just a baby is now in danger of losing a lifeline, as he has outgrown the specialist buggy he relies on to get around. Max McKelvey from Ellesmere Port was just five months old when he was diagnosed with the devastating form of cancer which left him blind, with limited balance, and exhaustion so severe he struggles to walk.
Max received chemotherapy after his diagnosis as a baby and is still on active treatment at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Having outgrown the buggy he usually uses to get around, he is now unable to go outside and join in activities with his family. This means he cannot make the most of his time with his specially-trained buddy dog, Roey, who was gifted to him by the Guide Dogs charity to ease his anxiety.
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Max’s mum Claire said: “Max’s balance isn’t very good, and he can’t walk very far at all before he’s exhausted, but his buggy is now at the end of its useful life. He’s so much bigger now and often needs to sleep in the buggy, which is very uncomfortable for him. It’s difficult to get him in and out of it or even move him around, especially as I’m usually the one trying to manoeuvre him, so it’s vital that he has a buggy that can swivel and recline. We could then use to take him wherever he needs to go.
“He has severe delays across all areas of his development and because he is non-verbal, he gets very frustrated. Being outside and having a change of scenery really helps him and is something he loves to do – he makes the sign for his wheelchair constantly. Getting outside is good for me too and is essential for my own well-being as I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in November 2020, undergoing chemotherapy, surgery and high dose radiation, which was hard on us all.”
Without a specialist buggy, either Claire or husband Neil must now stay at home constantly with Max, while the other takes out their seven-year-old daughter Ava. Claire added: “Not having a suitable wheelchair for Max means his life is now very narrow and all the things that he can do, and that he loves, like swimming and music therapy have to stop. Max loves music – particularly Ed Sheeran right now – and he has an amazing recall of rhythm for someone with his complexities, but if he can’t go outside then everything comes to a standstill. Having the specialist buggy he needs would be a lifeline for us, and the thought of being without is very distressing.”
Newlife, the largest charity provider of specialist disability equipment for children across the UK, has started a fund-raiser to help raise the £3,555 needed for a new buggy for Max. It is estimated that it costs three times the amount of money to raise a child with disabilities than it does a non-disabled child, and with costs increasing, many families have turned to charities for help. In the past year alone, equipment grant applications to Newlife have risen by a massive 60%, while total calls to its Nurse Helpline from people seeking support has risen by 73%.
Kam Dulai, Newlife’s Child and Family Support Manager, said: “We really want to help Max. It’s clear having the buggy he needs would be life-changing for him and the whole family, so we are urging the local community help us raise the funds necessary to provide Max with the buggy so he’s safe and protected.”
To donate to help Max receive the buggy he needs, visit newlife.support/max. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or call 01543 462 777. Always get the bill payer’s permission. Any money raised above the amount needed for the buggy Max needs will be used to help fund equipment for another child.
