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FOCUSED: Harvey with his parents

Three-year-old gets £30,000 limbs after appeal in The Voice

THE MOTHER of three-year-old Harvey Parry is delighted that her son has been fitted with a new set of legs after a special appeal in The Voice earlier this year.

Little Harvey lost his legs after suffering from meningitis meningococcal septicaemia, at just 15 months. It is a potentially deadly brain bug that severely attacked his body.

Doctors were forced to amputate Harvey’s legs well above the knees and a right part of his arm, in order to save his life.

The NHS gave Harvey prosthetic legs but they wouldn’t allow him to walk. The family decided that state of the art limbs from private company Prosthetics In Motion in New York was the best option for their son, but at over £30,000 getting them seemed impossible.

However, Voice readers generously donated to the family’s appeal and they were able to fly to America on May 8. Now back from the trip, Carol is delighted by the results.

“We spent five weeks in New York getting the legs fitted, which have made him taller. He learned to balance and manoeuvre in them again. Every day Harvey did physiotherapy on the streets, in a park or at the clinic,” she explained.

Harvey had to rebuild his muscle strength again after his limbs became slack.

“When they first put his legs on we didn’t know how he was going to react, but he was so focused on learning to walk in them that I really had to hold myself back from crying,” she said.

Harvey responded so well to his gruelling physiotherapy that Prosthetics In Motion recommended him to the Challenged Athletic foundation (CAF) sporting event Catch a Rising Star.

The day sponsors a range of events for less able athletes. Harvey surprised organisers by learning to ride a hand bike in 10 minutes, leading them to order him a hand bike and donate some of the cost for a hand cycle.

Carol is now focused on raising the money for Harvey to also get sockets and attachments for his running legs, after CAF donated the cost of his prosthetic feet.

“The whole trip opened up doors, it’s positive to know he can ride a bike, swim and jump with running legs,” she said.

But Harvey’s new legs will only last him another eight to 12 months, and the family urged Voice readers to keep on donating until a lifelong sponsor is found.

“I can’t thank Voice readers enough, who have been able to give my son a life. I hope that they keep supporting us,” she said.

To make a difference to Harvey’s life, visit: www.harveyparry-appealfund.com. Donations can be made via paypal or Barclays Bank:

Account number 10628034; sort code 20-29-90

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Published: 06 July 2009
Issue: 1379

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