Video: George Woodward is finally on the move thanks to fundraisers who helped his family purchase a mini wheelchair for him

Laura Barber and Lee Woodward are chasing after their son George who, thanks to fundraising, has a wheelchair and is able, for the first, time to move on his own.

The support of the public has been amazing.

Those were the sentiments of Ipswich mum-of-two Laura Barber last night after a fundraising campaign helped to purchase a wheelchair for her two-year-old son – a piece of equipment he desperately needed.

Little George Woodward was recently diagnosed with Type 2 spinal muscular atrophy, a life-limiting condition that affects the spinal cord. It causes muscle weakness and leads to severe disability.

Since the family were told the news, they have held a series of fundraising events to fund different items and care for George, and it was with part of those funds that they could buy the chair.

Laura Barber and Lee Woodward are chasing after their son George who, thanks to fundraising, has a wheelchair and is able, for the first, time to move on his own.

Laura, 29, said: “He can’t walk or crawl or bear weight so it is the first bit of independence he has ever had and he picked it up right away. As soon as he got into the chair, he was off.

“He is whizzing around in it now. It’s brilliant.

“He is happy in it and it has given him independence that he has not had before. He can go out and play in the garden and follow his cousins around.

“It’s lovely and he doesn’t know any different so to George, this is completely normal.”

The events that have been held in aid of George have included a summer fun day, a quiz night and a charity pub crawl. In this month’s Ipswich Half Marathon, there will be 10 runners raising funds for the George Woodward Fund.

A group of Ipswich Town fans in Australia even supported the cause through a match down under against Norwich City fans.

A video of George in his new wheelchair was also posted on to his Facebook page this week and has so far been viewed by about 6,000 people.

Miss Barber added: “I just want to say thank you to everyone who has supported us and continue to support us. We bought this chair for George and he will be able to get around on his own and I hope people continue to get behind us because we are not going to stop.”

The next big piece of equipment the family are keen to buy is a powered wheelchair, which will cost more than £20,000.

As well as the half marathon runners, more events are in the pipeline and George’s is one of the causes people can currently donate to at the Asda stores in Whitehouse and Stoke Park.

For more information about the George Woodward fund, please visit www.georgewoodwardfund.co.uk. Alternatively, you can follow “George Woodward” on Facebook.