Doctors warned he would never walk or talk – but Harley Stallard has already proved one prediction wrong. Now the two-year-old’s hopeful parents are keeping their fingers crossed he will defy medics to walk with the help of specialized equipment which will develop his fitness and build muscles. Harley, who lives
in Washington with parents Claire and Shaun, was born three months prematurely and on just his second day of life he suffered a bleed on the brain that left him with cerebral palsy. As a result, the first few years of his life has been tougher than most but the lively youngster is making up for it by defying the odds and excelling in areas that initially weren’t thought possible. Full-time mum Claire said:
“The doctors don’t think he is going to walk and if he does it will be with a frame, but obviously not far. They have said they didn’t think he would do things numerous times but he is really clever and they didn’t think he would talk or anything but he is absolutely amazing at talking.”
Harley also has to be tube fed as he is not able to chew properly but he is also slowly making progress in this area too. Claire and Shaun are hoping a grant from the Chronicle Sunshine Fund will help Harley on his journey to not only improving his chances at building strength in his legs but also giving him the opportunity of some independence. A specialised trike – which would cost £972 – would enable Harley to play outdoors with sisters Kaci, three, and Kia, six.
“He keeps saying to his sisters ‘me walk’ and he screams because he wants to go on their bikes,”
Claire added:
“If we got the trike it would get him out in the street and I could leave him sitting on it even if it was just for a few minutes and he could join in with all the other kids. Everything he does at the minute has to be with one of us holding him. With it coming to summer and everyone being outside all he does is cry and there is nothing you can do to pacify him.”
It’s stories like Harley’s that have seen the Chronicle’s Sunshine Fund Go Bananas appeal launched. Throughout the whole of June we are calling on everyone to do something wild to enable us to reach a fundraising target of £20k by the end of the month so youngsters like Harley can be given their independence.Whether it be getting sponsored to dye your hair, staging a Let’s Dance style competition, organising a cake and coffee morning, or singing up to take part in the Sunshine Run on June 26, there are hundreds of ways to get involved. Fundraisers can also sign up to take part in this year’s Sunshine Run. The annual 5k run, which is sponsored by Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, will take place on June 26 and money raised from the event will go towards the appeal target.