Stanley’s Charity Ninja Support!

In 2020, Stanley’s family turned to Tree of Hope to fundraise for his Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) operation. The surgery took place in September 2022 at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, and most recently, and most recently, the family fundraised again — this time for a life-changing wheelchair to ensure Stanley has the same opportunities to explore and enjoy life as his peers.

Stanley’s grandma, Teri, was oozing with pride when she spoke about him. She described him as “just so giving and loving and happy, so we owe it to [him] to do as much as we can to help [his] future.”

That future has already been transformed by his SDR surgery, which Teri says was “life changing. I'm really glad that we were able to make that difference for him at such a young age.”

What is SDR?
Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) is a surgical procedure that reduces muscle tightness by cutting selected sensory nerve fibres in the spinal cord. While it is not a cure for spasticity in children with cerebral palsy, it can significantly improve muscle control, reduce stiffness and increase mobility and independence.

For Stanley, SDR has improved his daily function and reduced his muscle tightness. However, he still uses a wheelchair every day. For many years, he relied on a standard NHS wheelchair, but as he grows older, he wants the freedom to access different terrains — just like his friends and siblings.

Fundraising for a Wheelchair
Teri explains that his previous wheelchair “wasn't really meeting his needs. It was very heavy, very cumbersome and he wasn't able to move easily in it. We were highly recommended to a company called Recare in Oxford” who found the perfect off-road model for Stanley. 

This fully tailored wheelchair far surpassed the limitations of his previous chair. With interchangeable wheels for different terrains, Stanley “is able to do everything, go everywhere, and there's no limits to what he can access”.

Breaking Down Barriers to Freedom
Because of the specialist nature of the wheelchair, NHS funding was not available, so once again, the family needed to fundraise — this time for an eye-watering £6,730.

Teri explained that she has always “been a doer in life” and will always look for ways to move things forward, exploring “if there's a way of getting things done and getting it done a bit quicker”, and having followed comedian Jason Manford for many years, Teri knew about his secret initiative, the ‘Charity Ninjas’. The group encourages its 34,000 followers to donate just £2 to a chosen cause, two times a week.

After applying to the Charity Ninjas in October, Teri was overwhelmed when her “phone started pinging at 10pm, and it was still pinging two days later” as emails flooded in confirming hundreds of £2 donations - Stanley’s campaign had been selected as the Charity Ninja cause of the week.

She explains that “within 28 minutes, we had every penny we needed. 28 minutes! It was just phenomenal and it was a fantastic of start to the year”.

A Life-Changing Moment
Thanks to the incredible generosity of donors, Stanley’s wheelchair was quickly purchased.

Since receiving it, Teri says he is “a different child. The change was instant. He's moving around quickly - we do actually have a video of him with his brother: His brother is in his old wheelchair and Stanley is in his new one, and Stanley was whizzing around, up and down the showroom with his new wheelchair".

Off-Road Independence
One of the biggest advantages of Stanley’s new wheelchair is its off-road capability. The Recare chair is custom-made to suit his needs, including the option to swap to larger off-road wheels. The family can also attach a third wheel at the front for greater control and manoeuvrability.

This flexibility gives Stanley even more freedom and independence — allowing him to go places that were previously inaccessible.

Looking Ahead
With Stanley gaining more independence outdoors, the family’s next focus is improving accessibility at home. Teri explains that his current house “is not perfect for a disabled person. Of course it isn’t. There are no houses out there really that are built perfectly for disabled people”.

Working alongside their local council and homeowners, the family hopes to make significant adaptations, including adding a downstairs bedroom and wet room, but estimated costs range between £80,000 and £100,000. A Disabled Facilities Grant and home services funding are expected to cover around £44,000, with the family needing to fundraise for the remaining amount.

Support from Tree of Hope
As Teri plans the next stage of fundraising, she says she feels incredibly supported by Tree of Hope:

Supporting Stanley
As with Stanley’s previous fundraising campaigns, we look forward to supporting his family once again — this time to create a fully accessible home environment that benefits the whole family.

You can support Stanley and his family here:
https://www.treeofhope.org.uk/get-involved/childrens-campaigns/stanley-dallison/