Worthing mum's delight at community response

DELIGHTED mum Zoe Ventress says thanks to an "amazing" response to her campaign backed by the Herald, her baby son can now have vital treatment for a head defect.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Dec 2009, 15:53 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 00:58 BST

Kieran Ventress-Vizela has plagiocephaly and brachycephaly, two little-known skull conditions which can affect young babies, and at nine-months-old he needs treatment to correct it now before his skull becomes fully formed.

But last week, the Herald told how his mum Zoe, of Pavilion Road, Worthing, was shocked to hear the NHS would not pay the 2,000 for the treatment - which will involve wearing a special helmet 23 hours a day to correct the flat and protruding parts of Kieran's head.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Read the original story about the fight for Kieran Ventress-Vizela's treatment here.

Sponsored walk

So Zoe, Keiran's dad Ricardo and his godmother Ana Filipe decided to do a sponsored 10k jog from Worthing to Shoreham and back on Saturday, December 11, to raise money for the Headstart4Babies charity.

Zoe said apart from some sore feet, the walk was a success, and by Monday, December 13, more than 2,600 had been donated.

Zoe, 27, told the Herald: "It has been amazing. I was so shocked when I saw that we'd raised so much.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"This means the charity can pay for Keiran's treatment but also use the extra money to help other babies."

Zoe said she would like to thank everyone for their support.

Grateful thanks

She added: "A couple who had read the article in the Herald donated 500.

"I emailed them to say thank you and asked if they had any experience of the condition, but the man just said he and his wife read the story and were really touched.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"He said they had seven grandchildren and they just wanted to help."

The same couple later donated 300 to help Zoe reach the 2,000 target.

"I really am so grateful," said Zoe. "On Tuesday, I booked Kieran in for his scan so the helmet can be made and then, hopefully, fitted on December 31."

-------------------------------------

Click here to go back to Worthing news.

Where are you? Add your pin to the Herald's international readers' map by clicking here.

Email the Herald: [email protected]

Click here for the Herald staff directory.

Want to read this page in French, German, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Urdu or 48 other languages? click here for Google translate.

Related topics:NHSShoreham