Charities join forces on lifechanging grants for children
The charities Muscular Dystrophy UK and Whizz Kidz are joining forces to offer lifechanging grants to under-18s living with a muscle wasting
The collaboration between Muscular Dystrophy UK, the leading charity for over 110,000 people in the UK living with one of over 60 muscle wasting and weakening conditions, and Whizz Kidz, the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users, has awarded nearly £50,000 in grants to enable eight children to access a new wheelchair.
Living with a progressive muscle wasting and weakening condition means you may need access to specialist equipment throughout your life. This can come at a substantial financial cost. Over 75,000 young people in the UK need to use a wheelchair. Unfortunately, often they can’t access the equipment that fully meets their needs through local services, due to long wait times, costing issues and some children not meeting the qualifying criteria. The grants can therefore be lifechanging.
Grace holding trophies
Following years of being mis-diagnosed Grace Mohan, 14, from Chertsey, Surrey, received a congenital myopathy diagnosis in 2023. Grace struggles to walk long distances and the condition causes extreme exhaustion. Currently she has a manual wheelchair provided by the NHS but with the progression of her condition she finds it difficult to manoeuvre, as she can’t self-propel.
Grace said: “I really struggle to walk long distances, so I’ll often have to miss out on doing things with my friends because my condition causes me too much pain. I’m so thankful that I’m going to be getting a new wheelchair. I’ve gone for one called Quickie in a purple colour to reflect my personality.”
Grace’s mum, Eloise, added: “I don’t think she quite knew what to expect until we actually went to the wheelchair fitting day. The smile on Grace’s face said it all. If it wasn't for her ears her smile would have gone all the way around. It was joyous to watch her going up and down the pavements – she had so much freedom. We can't wait for her to receive her new wheelchair and can't thank Muscular Dystrophy UK and Whizz Kidz enough."
Neeru Naik, Director of Services and Support at Muscular Dystrophy UK, said: “On average powered wheelchairs can cost anything between £5,000 - £35,000. The partnership with Whizz Kidz allows these children, living with a muscle wasting and weakening condition, to access essential wheelchairs. Giving them freedom – whilst avoiding disappointingly long-wait periods. We’re looking forward to exploring how we can further our relationship with Whizz Kidz to help others in need in the future.”
Sarah Pugh, Chief Executive at Whizz Kidz said: “At Whizz Kidz, we believe every young wheelchair user deserves the right equipment to live life to the fullest. By joining forces with Muscular Dystrophy UK, we are breaking down barriers and providing vital mobility solutions that will have a truly lifechanging impact. These grants mean greater independence, confidence, and opportunity for children who need it most, and we are proud to be part of this transformative collaboration.”
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For more information about Muscular Dystrophy UK visit musculardystrophyuk.org. Contact Heather Fanning, PR Manager at H.Fanning@musculardystrophyuk.org for information, photos or interview requests. Following @musculardystrophyuk on Facebook // Instagram // LinkedIn // @MDUK_News on X
For more information about WhizzKidz visit whizz-kidz.org.uk. Contact Andie Hill, Senior Media & PR Manager at a.hill@whizz-kidz.org.uk 07776956062. Follow @WhizzKidz on X and Facebook // @whizzkidzuk on Instagram // Whizz-Kidz on LinkedIn
About muscle wasting conditions
- Living with a muscle wasting and weakening condition can be exhausting, stressful and lonely. With endless medical appointments, physiotherapy, treatments, and respiratory support.
- Progressive conditions get worse over time. They can cause difficulty walking. Trouble swallowing. Breathing complications. Pain. Heart problems and failure. Life can be more challenging. Or cut short.
About Muscular Dystrophy UK
- We’re the leading charity for over 110,000 people in the UK living with one of over 60 muscle wasting and weakening conditions
- We share expert advice and support to people living with muscle wasting and muscle weakening conditions so they can live well now.
- We fund groundbreaking research to understand the different conditions better and to lead us to new treatments.
- We work with the NHS towards universal access to specialist healthcare.
- Together, we campaign for people’s rights, better understanding, accessibility, and access to treatments.
- We’ve already made advances that would have been unthinkable just 10 years ago, and we’re determined to go even further and faster.
- We support people with muscle weakening and wasting conditions through every stage of their life. From the point of diagnosis to living the best life possible.
- Together we are stronger. Together we are Muscular Dystrophy UK. Join us.
- For more information or to help support our work, visit musculardystrophyuk.org or call our free helpline on 0800 652 6352 (open Mon – Thu 10am – 2pm)
About Whizz Kidz
As the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users, we empower young people by providing the wheelchairs, equipment, support and confidence-building experiences they need, and campaigning for a more inclusive society. Our vision is a society in which every young wheelchair user is mobile, enabled and included.
About young wheelchair users in the UK
- An estimated 75,000 young people in the UK need a wheelchair to be mobile.
- Most young people aren’t getting a wheelchair that fully meets their needs through local services
- For a young person, having the wrong wheelchair can lead to dependence on others, social isolation, poor mental health, pain and injury.
- Without the ability to be independent young wheelchair users are restricted in their ability to socialise and participate in society.