A COVENTRY mum is braving a 24-hour, 100-kilometre trek to raise the £33,000 needed to buy a life-changing piece of equipment which will allow her four-year-old daughter Effie Middleton to achieve her dream of walking.
Mum Ellena and partner Ben Harris are taking on the Thames Path Ultra Challenge from Putney Bridge to Henley-on-Thames on September 9 to raise cash to buy an Innowalk for daughter Effie.
Effie has triplegic cerebral palsy which affects both her lower and upper left limbs and leaves her unable to walk or stand up without an aid.
The youngster also has poor blood circulation and digestion and struggles to sleep.
She has been temporarily handed a life-changing Innowalk which has allowed her to complete daily exercise, walk around and build up her muscles and strength.
After seeing the impact the Innowalk has had on her daughter’s life, her mum Ellena is hoping to raise the much-needed cash to buy Effie one of her own.
Ellena said: “Effie is a typical little girl who likes doing all the things that most girls of her age enjoy, singing, dancing, role-playing, messing around with toys.
“She’s very inquisitive and looking forward to starting school this year.
“Effie adored the Innowalk – I could barely get her out of it.
“An Innowalk would dramatically improve her independence and quality of life and we are grateful for any support people can give in helping us buy one for her.”
Ellena and Ben have been busy training for their hike and recently managed to complete a 20-mile walk.
Previous fund-raising challenges included raising almost £8,000 from a danceathon at Effie’s nursery Cheylesmore Pre-School and donations from friends, family and well-wishers.
Ben’s mum and former professional baker Caroline Berwick is also offering people living within 25 miles of Stratford-Upon-Avon the chance for people to win their wedding cake for a ceremony next year.
Visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/100kforeffie to donate to Ellena’s hike or https://www.instagram.com/daisybluebakehouse/ to enter the ‘win a wedding cake’ competition.
