A youngster with cerebral palsy and epilepsy has challenged himself to walk and cycle the Humber Bridge to raise money for an intensive neurology physiotherapy course.
Eight-year-old Henry Brown, from Laxton near Howden, was born three months early, and wasn’t expected to survive his first 24 hours. Henry suffered a brain bleed which left him with a permanent injury to his brain, and as a result he suffers from cerebral palsy (hemiplegia, which means one side of his body including his left hand needs extra encouragement) and epilepsy. His doctors predicted his gross motor function would be at the most affected level, that swallowing would be unlikely, that he’d have hearing problems that could affect his speech, and that using a walking frame would be “setting expectations too high”.
Henry has since happily proved them wrong, and not only has he achieved a more advanced level in his gross motor function, he now runs in his walking frame, plays football in it and chases his friends at school. He can hear very well and is a little chatterbox who loves to eat pigs in blankets. But he does attend lots of neurological physiotherapy sessions including intensive courses during the school holidays. To help raise money for his paediatric neurology physiotherapy intensive course in August, Henry will walk and cycle the Humber Bridge - which is 2.2km each way - on July 4 setting off at 10am.
Henry said: “I’m really looking forward to it and I’m looking forward to riding my bike.” His mum Emma added: “In the summer holidays, Henry goes to an intensive physiotherapy course which is two to three hours every day for two weeks. It can cost between £80 to £120 per hour. “And that’s why we do extra fundraising for the intensive physiotherapy. Because that is when you get the biggest gains and build muscles, so they won’t deteriorate as he gets older. “Cerebral Palsy is a lifetime commitment, it’s not something you can dip in and out of. Cognitively he has developed absolutely fine, it’s just his physical disability which slows him down.” Emma said Henry was an amazing little boy, adding: “He is very cheeky with a sarcastic sense of humour. He’s very personable and likes to have a chat with everyone. He’s recently become a Goole AFC fan and likes to have a chat with all the fans. And he’s looking forward to being a mascot. “He’s also very determined and if someone tells him he can’t achieve something, he will find a way to achieve it. To donate, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/henry-brown-humberbridge
