A FAMILY’S fundraising effort to help their own tot beat flat head syndrome will have a lasting legacy for other youngsters with the condition.
Evan Lambert’s plight so moved people that his parents John and Adele raised enough money not only to buy him a corrective helmet but also set up a fund to help other families.
County Durham parents of a child suffering flat head syndrome can apply for the £500 deposit needed to secure a specially designed helmet.
It is hoped they will then do some fundraising of their own and replenish the fund, perhaps even with more than they initially received.
Three families, from Stanley, Sunderland and Glasgow, have already benefitted.
Meanwhile, having worn his £2,000 helmet 23 hours a day for five months, nine-month-old Evan was freed from it earlier this month, his head having been reshaped successfully.
Mrs Lambert, a 34-year-old mother-of-five, said: “I’m so pleased. It’s fantastic.”
At six weeks old, Evan, of Esh Winning, County Durham, who has a twin brother George, was diagnosed with left-sided neonatal torticollis, or wry neck, meaning his head was stuck twisted to the left.
That led to a severe case of plagiocephaly, also known as flat head syndrome, with Evan’s head misshapen by 24mm.
The NHS refused to pay for a corrective helmet, saying the effects are merely cosmetic.
Manufacturers Technology in Motion agreed to build one for Evan once a £500 deposit had been paid, prompting Mr and Mrs Lambert to launch a fundraising campaign which in four months generated a stunning £4,679.44.
Mum Adele Lambert has launched a fundraising campaign for 6 month old son Evan Lambert
Mrs Lambert said: “The response was overwhelming.
“Words cannot express how grateful I am towards the local community for all their kindness, help and support, and without whom we would never have been able to get treatment for our little boy.”
She also thanked Technology in Motion for what she called the “miracle cure” helmet.
“I just hope the NHS will now recognise the condition and for the most severe cases, it will help,” she added.
As each helmet is specially made and cannot be reused, Evan’s parents are keeping his in a memory box for when he is older.
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