Nine year old Izzie – an incredible girl with an amazing family

A remarkable Hastings family that need a hand

A little under three years ago, a fundraising charity, 52 Lives, was set up with a simple – and unremarkable – aim: to get good people to work together to help particular individuals in need. One a week – and from anywhere in the world. This week, they’ve chosen a little girl called Izzie. She’s from here in Hastings. Toby Sargent tells her story.

Even before Izzie was born, she was having fits. No one knew why but it led to her being born with diplegia celebral palsy. That was nine years ago. Today Izzie needs a walking frame to get around and a wheelchair when she gets tired. Oh, and she also has right-sided weakness and problems with her bowel and bladder.

From the outset, the neurologist who made the diagnosis was clear: her future quality of life would be decided by her own determination and whatever support her parents could offer.

Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy

Fortunately there was an abundance of both. Her parents, Paul and Paula, stepped up to the plate. They put in literally thousands of hours of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, as well as sign language courses. Izzie dug deep too, rising to every challenge and gaining an Orange belt in judo and an ‘outstanding’ in her school report for PE along the way.

At the moment she’s just come through orthopaedic surgery and is working hard to get back on her feet. She’ll never be able to walk without a frame but, with intensive physiotherapy, she should be able to regain and maintain mobility.

Izzie needs intensive and repeated physiotherapy to keep on top of her condition

It’s also worth mentioning that she takes part in charity fundraising for children with disabilities, and helps people understand just how hard it is for families of such children: the never-ending calls on physical and emotional strength and also the joy and fulfilment that the whole family can get from it. She dreams of becoming a paediatrician when she grows up.

And, as I said, she’s just nine years old. She’s incredible.

But sometimes, it seems, it really is true that no good deed goes unpunished. Izzie’s mum, Paula, was diagnosed four years ago with a horrible disorder called spina bifida occult. She’s had spinal cord surgery to arrest the condition and that sounds pretty horrible in itself but, worse, it means she can no longer do the physio at home with Izzie that has been so important to her daughter’s development.

Queen’s award for voluntary service

I should perhaps have also mentioned that Paul and Paula have another child, an adopted son with a disorder similar to autism and Christmas disease, a form of haemophilia named after the first person to be diagnosed with it, back in the 1950s. And Paul, by the way, is a paramedic who also finds time to run a judo club that has recently won the Queen’s Award for voluntary services, while Paula has a Community Heroes award.

So just stop for a moment and imagine what day-to-day life must be like for that extraordinary family. The truth is, most of us can’t. But what we can do is spare a few quid to help keep their amazing show on the road, getting Izzie the equipment and physio she needs.

Izzie’s mum told us: “Providing Izzie with a physio cabin full of exercise equipment will give her the opportunity to reach her full potential. A really big thank you to everyone who is supporting her, and to everyone in the Hasting community who has helped us along the way.”

Do help if you can, by making a donation, large or small, on the 52 Lives website where you can also, of course, find out more about how the charity works. And in case you’re wondering, 100 per cent of the money you pledge will go to help Izzie. The charity’s expenses and admin costs are covered by their corporate partners.

Also in: Hastings People