Eight year old George Hutchings with mother Anna

Ipswich: Brave George can fly out to clinic thanks to charity ball

BY KEN MCERLAIN Saturday, April 9, 2011
12:00 PM

A brave boy who suffers from a severe disability is today  hoping specialist treatment abroad will transform his life.

Cerebral palsey

n The term cerebral palsy covers a number of conditions where the brain doesn’t work properly, resulting in problems with movement, posture and co-ordination.

n One in every 400 children may have cerebral palsy, which means nearly 2,000 babies are diagnosed every year.

n Each person with cerebral palsy is affected in a different way.

n There is no cure for cerebral palsy but there are plenty of treatments and therapies that can reduce the impact of the condition.

Eight-year-old George Hutchings, who has severe quadriplegic celebral palsy, will fly to Hungary tomorrow for intensive physiotherapy  treatment to help his movement.

George’s trip to the world-renowned Peto Institute, in Budapest, was made possible thanks to £3,877 being raised at a special charity ball at the David Lloyd Leisure Centre, in Ipswich, recently.

His mother Anna, 39, of Ravenswood Avenue, Ipswich, said: “George’s condition means he will never be able to lead a completely  normal life.

“He is wheelchair-bound and  unable to move parts of his body. But through physiotherapy he can stretch out and gain awareness of his body through stimulation.

“At the institute I can join in exercise classes and get him to move to music which he loves. He is also taught to sit unaided, eat and crawl.

“He may never be able to walk but the treatment can make him stronger and more independent. He is learning to crawl and making progress.

“There will be a stage when his treatment reaches a plateau and his condition can’t improve further. But until that time, I want to give George the best chance to lead as normal a life as possible.”

George, a pupil at the Thomas Wolsey Special School, has been  visiting the institute annually since 2007 and undergoes a seven-week  programme of treatment.

The venue treats youngsters with disabilities from across the globe and has facilities for their families to stay on site.

Mrs Hutchings added: “I don’t think there is anywhere else in the world quite like it. I look forward to meeting other parents there and sharing experiences.

“We raised a record amount at the ball and we are very grateful for all the donations – they have helped to fund the treatment.

“George’s work at the Peto Institute has already made an enormous  difference to his life – he is happier, more confident and flexible.

“Sometimes I get exhausted and stressed out but then I think that my problems are nothing compared to George’s.”