US trip to help disabled Rotherham youngster

Ben Williams, who was born with the disorder, has only just started to walk and signs rather than speaks.

He has a mental age of two, delayed development, epilepsy and a hole in his heart.

But family and friends are rallying to send him on the trip to the US—which will guarantee him a better quality of life.

They have organised several fund-raisers to help his mum Rebecca (27) to foot the £10,000 bill for the Therapies 4 Kids course in Florida.

“We’ve never asked for anyone to help, people have come to us and offered,” said Rebecca, of Worksop Road, Swallownest.

“It’s through people being so kind-hearted and generous that this trip to America has been made possible.”

A trio of fund-raisers kick off with Ben’s great uncle, Phillip Parkin, climbing Ben Nevis with three work colleagues from Corus tomorrow.

Ben’s 11-year-old auntie, Sophie Williams, will be cycling the 26-mile Tissington Trail next weekend, while the family will also be raising money at Oldcotes car boot sale next Sunday.

“We’re hoping to have something every weekend until Ben goes to Florida,” said Rebecca. “It’s absolutely amazing when people decide to organise these types of events for him.

“I work part-time as an admin assistant, but Ben takes up a lot of my time because he basically needs 24-hour care.

“He’s had many challenges and has a very complex medical profile. He has limited mobility and used Makaton signing to communicate some of his wants and needs.

“But there are still daily challenges because of his restricted movements and inability to communicate with the world around him.”

Despite numerous tests at Sheffield’s Children’s Hospital and Great Ormond Street in London, Ben remains undiagnosed.

The four-week intensive therapy course in June will be aimed at improving Ben’s quality of life. It will then be followed by further treatment in December.

n America, he will have access to speech therapy and a pediasuit, which helps the muscles, pressure on joints and trains the nervous system.

For details of how to help with the fund-raisers for Ben, visit fundraise-for-ben.co.uk.