Ellise hails “beyond incredible” intensive therapy centre
By Ellise, Disabilities Correspondent, Jill Dando News
An incredible centre supporting children with difficulties has been hailed as life changing.
Ellise Hayward said the Footsteps Foundation in Oxfordshire is ‘beyond incredible’ and makes a ‘real difference to children with disabilities’.
Footsteps was set up in 2008 to provide intensive therapy for children with neurological disorders, and Ellise attended the centre three times a year for seven years until 2018. Each time she had a 3-week block intensive physio.
So many of the children who need the therapy come from families who are not able to afford it, so the Foundation was established to ensure that every child has the chance to reach their full potential.
During therapy, they will typically do one hour of traditional mat mat-based physiotherapy and one hour in the 'Spider'.
The 'Spider' is a simple but effective metal frame and the professional therapists set up a series of elastic ropes to support the child within the frame.
The child feels totally safe and is able to hold positions that would normally be impossible.
Ellise said: “Footsteps Foundation had played a huge role in my life so it felt right to do a story on them.
“Hopefully this story will help other parents with children with disabilities to discover that there’s a place to get intensive physio.
“The centre is amazing and I can’t thank them enough for everything they did for me. I’m sure lots of children will benefit from this wonderful place.”
A spokesperson for Footsteps said: “We are incredibly grateful to all our supporters and to the incredible professionalism and dedication of our therapists.”
Ellise Hollie Hayward is the Disabilities Correspondent for Jill Dando News.
