Courage of a lion, heart of an angel

By Kara Irving
LITTLE Aleacia Lawtey suffers from cerebral palsy. At just three years old she is unable to sit down, let alone walk, due to the seriousness of her condition.
Her parents John and Leanne were devastated they couldn’t afford upwards of $12,000 for a ‘Hart Walker’; a walking aid specifically designed for children with cerebral palsy.
But when nine Lion and Lioness clubs spanning from Pakenham to Endeavour Hills offered to pay the fee, they were overwhelmed at the thought their daughter could one day run around and play with her four siblings.
Recognised at an international level, the Lions club is renowned in local communities for helping the less fortunate, using funds from hosting sausage sizzles, selling raffle tickets and cakes to help those in need.
Working closely with the not-for-profit organisation Scope and the Lions club, Mark Ferey arranged for Lion and Lioness clubs across south-eastern Victoria to pay the fee for the ‘Hart Walker’, through hosting a series of fund-raisers.
Manufactured in England, the ‘Hart Walker’ teaches children with cerebral palsy how to stand upright, preventing muscular discomfort and encouraging their organs to develop properly. It’s an important element in building strength, co-ordination and confidence in young sufferers.
If Aleacia doesn’t learn to walk or sit upright, she can face serious digestive and health problems later in life.
Six weeks ago Aleacia was presented with her walking aid and has since learnt to sit upright and walk.
Just last week Aleacia, her parents and brother John attended a celebratory function held at the Lions Club in Beaconsfield to update her helpers of her condition.
“She’s a member of a family of five and she’s coping really well playing with them,” said Lions member Ron Payne.
“With the walker she’s been able to contribute at the same level with the others”.
In the past the Lions club has dealt with more than 1000 cases similar to Aleacia. Even though Payne believes cerebral palsy isn’t that common within the Cardinia Shire, at least 40 walkers have been provided to residents in the area in the past few years.
Cerebral palsy is a developmental disability that results in damage to the developing brain. The disability usually impairs mobility and muscular development, hindering the childhood milestones such as sitting upright and walking.
In extreme cases cerebral palsy can impair eyesight, hearing and speech, cause learning problems and even trigger epileptic symptoms.
“If there are any people in a similar situation to Aleacia, they would be very welcome to make contact with a Lions organisation”, says Payne.
For more information regarding the Lions club visit:http://www.lionsclubs.org.au/