Humans of Wellington Featuring David Lofthouse, 5th, Pn

Humans of Wellington Featuring David Lofthouse

How would you describe yourself?

I would like to say I’m quite ordinary really! I’m very talkative and can sometimes be quite loud whilst also laughing a lot; sometimes laughing so hard people can no longer understand me! I would also like to think that I am a caring person and hopefully other people believe the same as well.

What have you enjoyed most in your three years at Wellington?

The thing which I’ve enjoyed most in my three years at Wellington is being part of the Picton. This house has had such a profound effect on me at Wellington because I have made some of my best mates in the Picton, who I didn’t know before coming to Wellington. I have had loads of fun experiences that I couldn’t have got anywhere else. The reason why I have enjoyed this the most is because I live in the Picton every day, so I am basically just living with all my mates. Another thing that I have hugely enjoyed is the way in which the whole school has taken me in and accepted my disability. It’s just so humbling to me to see the kindness of people at Wellington.

Can you tell us a little bit about your diagnosis and the experience you’ve had with your condition?

I have Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegia.

This is caused through oxygen starvation at birth, when the umbilical cord gets wrapped around the child’s neck practically suffocating them. This kills the nerve signals that makes parts of your body function. In my case, this affected both my legs and my right hand. This causes me to be mainly in a wheelchair, but I can walk on crutches. I also struggle to write.

As a result of my Cerebral palsy, I will never be able to walk independently. It isn’t sad because you get used to it and after a while it becomes quite fun scooting around all day in a wheelchair occasionally bumping into people!

My disability only affects me physically and does not affect me mentally in any way. Cerebral palsy is not regressive but walking can become more difficult without regular exercise.

As with all challenges, it brings its difficulties and being the only person in a wheelchair it can sometimes pose these difficulties. Saying this I am extremely lucky to be at Wellington which in my opinion is the most accepting school for peoples’ differences.

What is your charity called and what is it all about?

It’s not a charity sadly, because it just came with too many complications, but not being a charity doesn’t affect the way we operate, if only it makes it easier! So, it’s a trust now called The Cerebral Palsy Trust. The purpose of the trust is to fund life changing surgery to a child who has the same condition as me. The surgery is called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy. Even though there is no cure for Cerebral Palsy, this treatment can substantially improve a child’s condition, ultimately improving their quality-of-life. This treatment costs £70,000 which is an extreme amount of money including their accommodation and physiotherapy. Therefore, only a small minority would be able to afford it. That’s where we come in, we would fund the £70,000 for a child who could not afford it.

What made you want to set up The Cerebral Palsy Trust?

As I had the surgery when I was a young child, I realised the difference it can make to a child’s life. Therefore, I wanted to give a child who cannot afford it the same opportunity I had as I was in an extremely fortunate position where I could go and have the surgery. I felt I should help other children have the surgery as it is unfair that only a small minority get to have this opportunity.

I realised that the support of people in-house would help me achieve this goal. This charitable cause could not achieve as much as it is achieving without the help of the team, I have around me. This consists of George Evans, Jasper Kirkby, Tommy Offer, Tom Taylor and Ralph Hawker. I’m forever thankful to these five friends of mine as they have helped me turn my ambition into a reality.

Have you had any support for your Trust from people outside of Wellington (other than your family)?

Yes, we have had support from the wider community. This has mainly been through donations and comes from seeing our story on our social media, which has gained rapid support. I’m hopeful in the future that we will be able to involve the wider community and Crowthorne more as the support and awareness grows in things such as the local newspapers for the Kingsleys.

What have you done or are going to do to raise awareness and funding for your Trust?

We have multiple charity ideas with the main charity event planned for the 24th March when I will be walking the Kingsley’s. It is definitely going to be quite an experience. I will walk the Kingsley’s on my crutches and it will take me 13 - 15 hours to complete it. Therefore, the team who has helped me and myself will have to start extremely early in the morning in order to finish at the same time as the rest of the college. Other than the Kingsley’s, we have a few potential fundraising ideas, but I can’t confirm anything for you sadly.