A special chair is giving young Effie, who can’t move, speak, swallow and is visually impaired, a better quality of life.

Four year-old Effie Hadman, of Whittlesey, was healthy until the age of two. But a worsening neuro-generative disorder has meant she has even lost the ability to sit and control her head, so she has been spending most of her day in bed.

However, her new specialist chair – provided by Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children – will allow her to take a more active role in family life. She will be fully supported, helping to ease her pain.

Mum Carly Hadman said: “We had tried to get Effie comfortable propped up with cushions in the lounge, but this just didn’t work – she was in too much pain. She has a work chair from statutory services, but this is rigid and hard and Effie can’t tolerate sitting in it.

“This new chair is enabling Effie to spend more time with her family, rather than being in her bedroom.

As soon as we put Effie in the new chair, her whole body relaxed and she was instantly much happier!”

The Newlife Foundation is the largest charity funder of specialist equipment for children with disabilities or a terminal illness in the UK.

Central England Co-operative adopted Newlife as its staff-elected charity in 2012 and colleagues and customers have since raised more than £835,000 to fund specialist equipment for children.

For full details of Newlife Foundation’s range of practical support for disabled and terminally ill children and their families, call the Newlife Nurse Helpline – 0800 902 0095 (free from UK landlines) – or go to:

http://www.newlifecharity.co.uk