Clark Can Choose

This is a fund to support Clark, a meningitis survivor and amputee with his future needs.

In March 2016 Clark became an amputee at 14 months old after battling Meningococcal septicaemia. He has a knee disarticulation on the left side. This means he has no knee joint and will need a mechanical knee for the rest of his life. We want him to live as independently as possible and to enjoy as many childhood activities as would a child with two legs. We have set up this gofund me account to help him do this.

We have been overwhelmed by the support and fundraising we have received from the local communities. Whilst we initially tried to keep things low key we have realised there is a need for an online fundraising platform. This page will enable those generous people that wish to raise money in Clark's name.

Meningitis. A story for Clark......

It is the one word a parent does not want to hear. We never truly believed it, you just had a temperature after all, no other signs. We just wanted to hear them say it's not meningitis. But it was and as the first spot of the rash appeared on your belly and we looked at the nurses, they looked at us and we all knew it. Thankfully we did not know what was to come, the experience we would somehow get through. The nurses and doctors knew but thankfully no one told us there and then.

You had minutes to live and the treatments were not working. Try counting the minutes for someone you love when every minute is supposed to be their last, the sheer gut wrenching dread. But minutes turned to an hour, an hour turned to two and this minute by minute survival carried on for over a week. Somehow you found the strength to fight on while science, machines and many heads took as much stress off your tiny body as possible to try and give you the edge. But they couldn't help your heart anymore. They had given you so many drugs, pushed you way past normal dosage.

But your heart did it, you are still here and you shine as bright as you did before. But you have had some changes to adapt to. After all who really needs two legs and all their fingers? To you your body performs exactly as it should. You have taught us this and everyday you teach us more, surprising us and surpassing any doubts we had.

We are sorry you had to wake up to months of theatre visits, treatment, infection after infection and horrendous wound care. Sometimes as parents we are naive and we thought that when you woke from your coma it would all be over but little did we know when you started breathing again for yourself this was just the start of the journey.

You did all that, so this is why we have set up this gofundme because you deserve it. We have swollowed our pride and we, with the help of others will do it for you.

Our Reasons.......

No one is really disabled its just the world we live in is not suited to our needs. At home we are in our safe haven where nothing is difficult as it is well thought through and designed for both two and one footed individuals. We know the rest of the world cannot be like this, after all having one foot is a marvellous minority. But we want to create an accessible world for our son. We do not want his future to be decided by the fact he has one leg, we want a future where he decides what he chooses to do. This fund will enable him to have choices, rather than being restrained by costs. It will free him, this world is an amazing place where for most of us there are no boundaries. We just want the same for our son. To realise the potential we know he has and just to do normal stuff, the stuff we take for granted. To skip, to climb on a climbing frame, to run on the grass, to jump in puddles, to walk foot over foot on a set of stairs. To go from walking to running without having to think about it. Where both legs instinctively carry you forward. To LIVE freely and without worries.

We want to raise money for sports legs, accesible kit and future treatments. A healthy lifestyle is paramount to a healthy adult amputee. All advice points towards kickstarting healthy habits early. This fund will enable Clark to participate in sports and get the equipment he needs to do it. There is no getting around it these legs and sports wheelchairs are expensive.

We cannot help but be our son's advocates. After all what are we here for? This is our purpose. So with the help of our friends, family and even the goodness of strangers we will make this world a free place for Clark to roam freely and choose  for himself what he wants to do.

Thank you for taking the time to read our son's story and imagining the future for a soul like our son.