A brave Scots youngster with two life-changing conditions and his family have told of their difficulties as Christmas approaches.
Seth, 10, from Ellon, Aberdeenshire who lives with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, is looking forward to receiving his Christmas gifts after receiving vital support from a Scottish charity for his condition.
Seth, Margaret and his sister Ane attended SBH Scotland’s Christmas Party at the St Georges Community Centre in Tillydrone last weekend, where the schoolboy was able to have fun with friends who are navigating similar conditions, reports Aberdeen Live.
The support makes a world of difference to the family as, mum Margaret explained: “It is not like being at school where he is one of however many there is in the class, and he is the only one that is physically disabled.
“He is getting to the age now where he knows he is different, and it frustrates him badly that he is different from everybody else and that he has all these things that he has to do.
“But when we are at Family Group, it doesn’t matter as much. Because the other children are going out to the toilet as well because they’ve got to get their catheter done. So, he is not the only one that has to go through that. Being around children going through the same thing is a positive experience for him.”
Margaret has been involved with SBH Scotland since 2014 when she was pregnant with Seth: “I first found out about spina bifida when I was pregnant with Seth and the consultant at the hospital gave me a leaflet all about SBH Scotland so that I could approach them for information and support. I did that and I had my first meeting with the charity before Seth was born,” she said.
At first Margaret found it quite overwhelming when she saw older children with spina bifida and thought about what the future would hold for Seth, but she felt supported at the groups and was able to open up in her own time.
She said: “Way back in the beginning, I found going along to the family groups quite daunting but there was no pressure – there was no pressure on me to talk if I didn’t want to. I was able to just sit there and just be me.
“I’ve met some lovely friends through my time at SBH Scotland and over the years as Seth has got older, it’s been fabulous to hear from the other parents, and learn about the support and the things that maybe Seth was having to go through that their kids have already been through, so they were able to give you their insight.”
That peer-to-peer parent support has been invaluable for Margaret over the years, she said: “It is one thing to have the doctor telling you ‘well, this is what’s going to happen’ but they are doing the procedure, they are not actually living with the child at home 24/7.
“So, to have the older parents there to tell you how it went for them, it is just amazing. It is an invaluable experience to be able to speak to somebody who has walked in your shoes already and can let you know how it went for them.”
Now that Seth is 10, there are families with younger children joining the Family Groups and Margaret is able to offer them the same advice and support that she herself had previously received. The families enjoyed celebrating together at SBH Scotland’s Christmas party last Sunday. With Christmas looming, the excitement is building for Seth, who loves being sporty, and he is looking forward to receiving his gifts.
Margaret said: “Seth has asked Santa for a basketball net for the garden because he plays wheelchair basketball for Grampian Flyers, and he loves that. And he’s asked for a new football game for his Nintendo Switch. He loves football but football does frustrate him sometimes as it is not always easy for him at school to participate in football.”
Margaret and Seth are teaming up with SBH Scotland to support their Christmas Appeal to raise funds to support families navigating the challenges they face. The funds raised through SBH Scotland’s Christmas Appeal will help ensure that SBH Scotland’s will be able to continue to offer vital services such as the family groups that Seth and his family rely on.
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