Project Popstar

Born at just 27 weeks and 2 days and weighing a slight 2lb 4oz, Poppy June spent the first weeks of her life in Neonatal Intensive Care, and it soon became apparent that she was developing differently to her twin brother, Josh.

Poppy was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Dystonia, a lifelong problem of uncontrolled muscle spasms and Athetosis, which causes electric shocks to be felt throughout her body. Poppy is also deaf  and has a cochlear implant to help her to hear.  

Amazingly, before lockdown, Poppy was literally climbing mountains! Now, aged 15, Poppy is dependent on her wheelchair and works twice as hard as most children her age to try and lead a normal teenage life. As she has got older life continues to get harder for her, and due to a lack of adaptations in the family home Poppy now struggles to livean independent life. 

After an arduous 4-year battle with South Lanarkshire Council, the family are only able to get the bare minimum of support for Poppy. The family are left choosing between Poppy’s safety and her independence and are afraid that the continued trauma of not being able to live independently will leave Poppy dependent on social care instead of self-care.  

All Poppy is asking for is the chance to be like other kids her age, to live with dignity and respect. Poppy has always fought her limitations to live independently, but as she’s grown, she can’t move freely around her own home, or bathe in privacy, and can’t even help prepare or cook a meal. Simple things that she wants to do, simple things that mostof us can take for granted.

Despite this, Poppy continues to amaze and inspire us all in everything she does! With the support of her family, she continues to fight with sheer determination and spirit and is proud to be part of the Lothian Phoenix Wheelchair Basketball Club, who recently shared national success at the Junior Championships - just imagine what she couldachieve if she had the right adapted living situation!

With all avenues of social care exhausted, we’re reaching out to the community to support Poppy in achieving an independent life - widened doorways for her wheelchair so she can move around her home, an adapted bathroom for personal care and kitchen equipment so she can cook, socialise and contribute to the family like everyone else – Poppy could have control of her own life instead of a future reliant on a social care system that is already under immense strain. 

If you can help in some small way to make this happen, it would quite literally be life changing for Poppy and her family. Thank you.

Upcoming Events;

Sat 6 July - Tough Mudder, Belvoir Castle

Sun 23 June - Leeds 10k

Sun 8 September - Vale of York Half Marathon