Help Billy Douglas Walk

Billy Douglas from Comber gets a helping hand from friends and family.

AN everyday trip to the play park in Comber is not without its trials for little three-year-old Billy Douglas writes Anne O'Hare.

As he excitedly hoists himself onto the new disabled swing recently installed there, Billy belies the struggle which accompanies his condition known as Cerebral Palsy.

His mum Savien, his dad William, sister Catherine (13) and his seven year old brother Robert, explained the devastation his condition, which effects the brain and nervous system, has brought upon their youngest son's life and the hope they now share so he can walk.

Billy Douglas crawls through the tunnel at the local playpark in Comber.

She said, “That was three years ago and now Billy is unable to walk because his spinal cortex is so taught, it won't allow him to flatten his foot out to walk. Sounds simple really, but today Billy is forced to go about on a wheel chair, and until now we resigned ourselves to the fact that he may never walk.”

However, hope comes in the form of a miracle operation in America and intense physiotherapy sessions following Billy’s operation.

Savien recalls his delivery into this world was quick and sudden and as a result his brain was starved of oxygen.

Savien added, “Dr Park is a consultant based at St Louis' Hospital in Missouri. He specialises in brain injury and has successfully operated on 2000 people to date.

“Dr Parks is renowned throughout the state of Missouri and beyond for attaining a 100 per cent success rate in making people walk. And he has already assessed Billy and believes he can make him walk too.”

The initial cost of Billy’s operation will be £50,000 and so far Savien and her husband William have raised £7,500… an excellent start.

Savien said that they hoped to tell Billy that through the generosity of the people of County Down and further a field, he would be handing back his wheelchair and walking to the playground by himself, unaided.

Billy Douglas, sitting on his mother's (Savien) knee, has plenty of helping hands for his visit to the playpark with his sister and cousins.

“Billy is the first child in Ulster to have been accepted by St Louis Hospital. Unfortunately, according to Dr Parks, the probability of success declines as the child grows older. That limited time-frame is usually between the ages of two and four years old, Billy has just eleven months. It is imperative that we get him over to America for this operation.

“We would urge people to support the events we have organised over the next few months and I can promise in return a smashing night of entertainment.”

Saturday 26th November

Rockmount Golf Club

Local entertainers do 'Stand Up'

Tickets £20

(Price includes dinner)

Friday 2^nd December

The Oul House (Moneydarragh)

Robbie Williams & Take That Night

No ticket required

Saturday 28th January 2012

Oul House presents the best tribute act around

-  Garth Brooks Night