Family mission to buy new bike to support daughter’s health – The Argus

ONE of Ebony Wilsons favourite things to do is to go cycling.

The 25-year-old is out on her bike three or more times a week at Chailey Heritage Futures, a residential centre for people with physical disabilities up to the age of 25, where she stays for several nights a week.

She has athetoid cerebral palsy, a condition which causes involuntary movement and means she needs a wheelchair, after being born ten weeks prematurely so she uses an adapted bike with a more supportive seat to be able to go cycling.

But, as she turns 26 in April, she will no longer be able to stay at the Chailey centre and so will not have access to her beloved bike.

Her mother, Donna Wilson, has now started a fundraiser to help collect enough money to buy Ebony a bicycle, but this is no mean feat as the specially adapted bike costs about 5,000.

The 50-year-old said: I just want to give my daughter the best life I can, she means the world to my husband and I.

She really loves life.

Every day she is always laughing and she is always looking to push on with her life.

As her parents, we feel we should give her everything we can to help her embrace this and continue to do the things she loves.

So we are trying to get as many things set up as possible for when she comes home.

Ebony will start living at home full-time later this year, having been at the Chailey Heritage Foundation since she was one.

As a result of her cerebral palsy, she suffers with several other health problems.

In the past she has battled bouts of pneumonia and swine flu as a result.

Donna said: Anybody who is older or who has a disability is compromised in certain ways.

If Ebony gets the flu, it can be more severe.

Seven years ago she got the flu, then swine flu and the pneumonia and was in an induced coma for a month.

As a result, using her bike is crucial for helping her stay healthy and active as well as being beneficial for her mental health.

Donna said: Thats why it is so important for her to keep active and happy.

We want to be able to give her the bike so she has things in place when she comes home to have a full and active life.

These bikes that are specially made dont come cheap and obviously 5,000 is a lot of money.

The seating system is completely different, more like a full chair than a bike seat, so she is well supported and can whizz around.

Ebony is also joining in the fundraising efforts and will be taking part in the Brighton Marathon 10k on April 19 alongside two of her carers.

Donna said: She is taking part in the way that she can and has been training in the gym and walking sling at Chailey.

I know she will love the day itself and all the attention of the crowds as she is a bit of an attention seeker.

And we will be at the start and finish to see her.

The GoFundMe page is called A bike for Ebony and has raised almost half of its 5,000 target since it was started on February 14.

Many of those who have donated left messages of support for Ebonys marathon efforts.

Marilyn Mehmet said its an amazing thing Ebony is doing.

Meanwhile several anonymous donors contributed hundreds of pounds to the cause.

See more here:
Family mission to buy new bike to support daughter's health - The Argus