Ripon mum's £45,000 target for son’s spinal treatment in Thailand after freak accident left him unable to walk

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A Ripon mum hopes to raise £45,000 in three weeks so she can take her 16-year-old son to Thailand for life-altering spinal cord treatment.

Kamila Nowicka, 39, gave up her job to care for her teenage son after he fell from a pull-up bar in his bedroom and broke his spine.

Alan, a student at Ripon Grammar School, dreamed of becoming a pilot for the RAF after completing his GCSEs.

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Unfortunately, his plans have been put on pause while he recovers from his injuries and regains some mobility.Alan was sent to Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield where he was offered four hours of

Mum Kamila Nowicka, 39, gave up her job to care for her teenage son,  Alan, a student at Ripon Grammar School. (Picture contributed)Mum Kamila Nowicka, 39, gave up her job to care for her teenage son,  Alan, a student at Ripon Grammar School. (Picture contributed)
Mum Kamila Nowicka, 39, gave up her job to care for her teenage son, Alan, a student at Ripon Grammar School. (Picture contributed)

physiotherapy a week.

This equated to one hour a day, with Wednesdays and weekends off.

The rest of the time, he would be in bed or sat in a chair.

His mum did not think he was getting enough physio, so she decided to take Alan to a private clinic, where he stayed for around nine weeks.

Ripon mum Ms Nowicka set up a Just Giving fundraiser in January to raise money for Alan, pictured, after his devastating accident. (Picture contributed)Ripon mum Ms Nowicka set up a Just Giving fundraiser in January to raise money for Alan, pictured, after his devastating accident. (Picture contributed)
Ripon mum Ms Nowicka set up a Just Giving fundraiser in January to raise money for Alan, pictured, after his devastating accident. (Picture contributed)

Ms Nowicka set up a Just Giving fundraiser in January to raise money for Alan’s rehabilitation and of her £70,000 target, she raised £26,552 from over 1,000 donors.

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She said: “He’s only 16 so he’s got his full life ahead of him.

"I just want him to be as healthy as possible and have the best quality of life because, bless him, he deserves that.”

Since the accident, Ms Nowicka has become Alan’s carer, helping him complete his daily three-hour physiotherapy, taking him to school and appointments, and being on call whenever he needs something.

Since the accident, Ripon's Kamila Nowicka has become her son Alan’s carer, helping him complete his daily three-hour physiotherapy. (Picture contributed)Since the accident, Ripon's Kamila Nowicka has become her son Alan’s carer, helping him complete his daily three-hour physiotherapy. (Picture contributed)
Since the accident, Ripon's Kamila Nowicka has become her son Alan’s carer, helping him complete his daily three-hour physiotherapy. (Picture contributed)

She said: “If we didn’t do physio at home, he would lose everything that he worked for over the nine weeks in the centre.

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“I’m on call constantly, even if I am out doing something else. I just have to be available all the time.

”The family had a stair lift installed in their home to allow Alan to access both floors.

“He used to run down the stairs, grab a quick glass of water, and go back upstairs,” she said.

Now it’s a whole trek because he needs to ransfer from the wheelchair to the stair lift, come down, transfer to his wheelchair again, and then do it all in reverse.

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"Sometimes, it’s just easier if he just shouts and I just fetch him something to save him some energy.”

Ms Nowicka is currently in touch with a clinic in Thailand who offer a stem cell therapy combined with a spinal cord stimulator which will allow Alan to stand and regain some movement, as well as bladder and bowel control.

This treatment will cost around £100,000 and needs to be paid in full by 10th June for Alan to receive treatment in July.

The family has secured a £40,000 loan and have £15,000 remaining from their last fundraiser, which leaves £45,000 still to be raised.

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“We are asking for any donations, no matter how small. We are just grateful that we are up in the morning and that Alan is not in pain.

“We are taking every day as it comes.

"Alan’s accident just proves that you can’t plan anything because life messes up your plans very quickly.“

“Me and Alan have stayed very positive throughout it all.

"People always say we are handling it well.

"But what else can you do? You’ve just got to get up and go and just try to plough through.”

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