A six-year-old from Towcester is taking his first steps towards independence after predictions he would be wheelchair bound by the time he was 10.
Since being born with a form of cerebral palsy, Lewis Wares, of Nicholas Hawksmoor School, has suffered from a condition which makes his legs cramped and uncoordinated and he needed a walking frame or wheelchair to get around.
But after a fundraising campaign supported by school friends, international celebrities and a global business, he underwent a life-changing operation in America in July.
His mum, Emma, now has to raise more money for ongoing physiotherapy and possible follow-up procedures.
Mrs Wares said her son remained cheerful, despite two hours of physio a day, and added: “Lewis is able to stand tall and upright in his walker and with the help of his splints he is able to put his feet flat on the floor. None of this is painful anymore. He is able to use his walker all day at school and can cover a lot more distance upright even on rough terrain.
“The wheelchair is now hardly in use and at school it’s only for emergencies. Since getting back from America he is able to ride his trike and pedal for himself – this was only a dream a few months back.”
Last Christmas schoolmates recorded a single, which was enhanced by the voices of Tony Hadley and Paul Young. The single, called Happy Birthday JC, sold 4,000 copies. Alternative rockers Radiohead donated £15,000 and the Fortune 500 company AECOM also donated £10,000.
The selective dorsal rhizotomy carried out at the St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri is the same as the one carried out on south Northants toddler Seb Strudwick. To support Lewis visit www.justgiving.com/LewisWares/.