Disabled Kenilworth girl '˜very happy' after specialist trike donation

A four-year-old Kenilworth girl who struggles with her mobility is '˜very happy' after being donated a specialist trike to give her more independence.
Anya O'Callaghan on her new trikeAnya O'Callaghan on her new trike
Anya O'Callaghan on her new trike

Anya O’Callaghan received the £1,500 Theraplay tricycle after Kenilworth Lions and Kenilworth Round Table agreed to match each other’s donations towards its cost.

Anya is registered disabled, and cannot walk without the assistance of a walking frame.

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But thanks to her new trike, she is now able to go outdoors much more with her parents Julie and John, as well as her two older sisters, Ciara, 10, and Erin, six.

Anya on her trike with her sisters Erin (left) and Ciara (right)Anya on her trike with her sisters Erin (left) and Ciara (right)
Anya on her trike with her sisters Erin (left) and Ciara (right)

Anya can either ride the trike independently, be pushed along or can attach the trike to her parents’ bikes and be towed along.

Julie said Anya has adapted to her new trike very quickly, and often bangs on the garage door at her home in Bullimore Grove in excitement when she wants to use it.

Julie added: “She uses the bike every single day - it’s so good for her muscles and she absolutely adores it. She’s a very happy child at the moment.

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“Being outdoors and doing the same as her sisters has definitely improved her outlook on everything.”

Anya on her trike with her sisters Erin (left) and Ciara (right)Anya on her trike with her sisters Erin (left) and Ciara (right)
Anya on her trike with her sisters Erin (left) and Ciara (right)

After hearing of another family the Lions supported through donations, Julie applied to the organisation for funding.

Her application was accepted, and the Lions contacted the Round Table to see if they would match their funding.

They agreed, meaning the family only had to pay for a third of the trike’s cost.

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Julie said the timing of the donation was ‘brilliant’ as it was getting harder for the family to take her out.

She added: “We were getting to the point were she couldn’t go on the back of our bikes any more because she’s too heavy. Someone always had to stay behind to look after her.”

The trike is adjustable, so Anya will still be able to use it for at least three more years as she grows.

And Julie said she may trade in the trike for a bigger one Anya after that time if Anya still needs one. This would also allow the old trike to be used for the benefit of another child.

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Julie also thanked the generosity of Kenilworth Lions and Round Table to help pay for the trike, after admitting she was ‘astonished’ by its cost.

She said: “It’s incredibly generous and we’re so grateful for that.”