Kiyo-Rei's Story

7-year old Kiyo-Rei is a very sweet and dazzling girl who loves to paint, play with sand and dance.

She was diagnosed with Kniest Syndrome which is a bone growth dysfunction which means she will remain small as the dysplasia causes dwarfism. This also affects her hearing so Kiyo-Rei uses British Sign Language.

Without a Whizz-Kidz wheelchair, Kiyo-Rei had some challenges and had to bum shuffle to get around the house, which would cause her pain and exhaustion from dragging herself around.

Kiyo-Rei’s Mum, Sherin, was told by her local service Kiyo-Rei wasn’t eligible for a wheelchair as she was ‘too small and too young’.

It was disappointing as I felt like they weren’t supporting her growth or her journey. But Kiyo-Rei’s physio recommended Whizz-Kidz and then we received her powered wheelchair.

Kiyo-Rei was over the moon with her wheelchair and wouldn’t stop talking about it! She told all her friends about her wheelchair - she is so happy!

“It was difficult before as she had to bum shuffle around and would get really tired and her wrists would end up hurting from trying to drag herself around. It is a lot of effort for her to do this and move around compared with others kids. So, her wheelchair helps her be less tired, less frustrated and more independent.”

“We went to a little party and normally me and Kiyo-Rei both love dancing so I would hold her and dance around and if I got tired her Dad would, but we were holding her (which is tiring). So it is nice now that she can sit down (in her wheelchair) and do her little robot dancing in the wheelchair!”

“Now that she has her Whizz-Kidz wheelchair she also has her independence, but it will also allow her to feel less inhibited, less restricted, and that is the most important thing.”

“She is growing up to be able to think that she doesn’t have to rely on someone else to support her.”

“She is 7 but she is a little madame, and she really appreciates being able to do things solo”

“It would have been a struggle (without Whizz-Kidz) as she would have to really rely on us,

She is little but heavy, and after a certain age she won’t want us lifting her so the wheelchair helps her and helps us to help her.”

“She can feel she can take control of the situation. We can even hold hands as she drives.

She is always happy when she feels she can do something for herself – it just helps to support her; it helps support us.”

“She was over the moon she wouldn’t stop talking about it! She told all her friends about it. She was excited. She feels part of the “clique” now.”

“We just knew this would help support her independence and this is what she really wants! When she is happy we are happy. This helps her journey which has been a difficult beginning and it is nice they supported us to help make the journey better off.”