A MOTHER is hoping to raise £10,000 to buy life changing high tech equipment so her quadriplegic son can communicate with her by moving his eyes.

Leanne Jefferson’s son Marcus has Spastic Quadriplegia, the most severe form of cerebral palsy, affecting both his arms and both legs, after suffering oxygen starvation when he was born.

Leanne, of Dunnington, said that from an early age he had been constantly in and out of hospital for treatment but he ‘still had a smile on his face every day and got on with life, despite his daily struggles.’

York Press:

She said he could not speak but he had been thriving recently at his school, Hob Moor Oaks, because of an ‘eye gaze’ computer there which he can control through his eyes.

She said that when he gazes at a required item on the screen, the computer senses what he is looking at, allowing him to communicate better than ever before.

“He only has limited use of it at school, as other children use it too, and I would like to see if we can raise enough money to help him get one for full time use at home and school,” she said. “If he can use it all the time, it can help him reach his full potential and communicate at home without getting frustrated.”

Leanne said she had launched the fundraising drive at Christmas, and it had already raised £2,180, largely thanks to support from members of Long’s Black Belt School in Acomb, of which she and her partner Phil Airstone were members. Children had even given some of their Christmas money, she said.

Now a series of fundraising events are being planned in coming months to take her closer to the target, starting with a family fun day between 1 and 6pm on April 16 - Easter Sunday- at the Beagle pub in Acomb.

Organised by a friend, Jade Sweeting, it will feature reptiles, a bouncy castle, face painting, raffle and tombola. “If any local firms would like to donate raffle prizes, that would be great,” she said. “Anyone wanting to donate can email me at leanne.jeffo@googlemail.com.”

About 30 people, mainly family, friends and club members, were also planning to walk the 24.5 mile Yorkshire Three Peaks on Saturday May 27, while members of the black belt club and from Centurion fitness centre were set to take part in a Yorkshire ‘Tough Mudder,’ a 10-12 mile mud and obstacle course on July 30.

There would also be a sponsored car wash at Burnley fire station on April 29, organised by a firefighter whom she had met through kick boxing contests.

Leanne said any surplus funds left after the equipment had been bought would be used to furnish and equip an extension to her council home,which was set to be built by City of York Council to create a ground floor bedroom for Marcus.

She said Marcus was rushed straight into a special care baby unit after he was born, and struggled, having constant fits. By ten days old, an MRI was carried out and by seven months old, he was given a full diagnosis of ‘Spastic quadraplegia cerebral palsy (GMFCS-Level 5) highest level’

She said: “From an early age we have constantly been in and out of hospital to help him through life, from physio, speech and language therapy to operations for a gastrostomy feeding tube, and hips put back in place and hamstrings lengthened.”

*To support the fundraising drive for Marcus, go to www.gofundme.com/communication-aid-for-marcus-2vng4dg