Parents gobsmacked by help for dying four-year-old son

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A four-year-old boy dying of a muscle wasting disease is receiving ‘incredible’ support from Aylesbury businesses and people.

George Newman has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and his family is trying to raise £6,000 for an electric wheelchair to make his life easier.

And his father, David Newman, says they have been ‘absolutely gobsmacked’ by the response.

Many businesses have donated raffle prizes, so many in fact Mr Newman says they now have enough for several raffles, while the Eden Hair and Beauty salon has agreed to donate £50 to the cause every time someone who is helping George uses their business.

Mr Newman and Royal Mail colleagues of his have also been given permission to abseil down county hall, while his boss, who is afraid of heights, has promised to do a parachute jump.

On hearing about George’s condition, Gerald Simonds has also said it will give the family a discount on the wheelchair.

Mr Newman said: “The response from people has been unbelievable. There’s just so many people that have gone out of their way to help.”

George, who has three brothers and a sister, was diagnosed with the terminal condition, which causes progressive muscle weakness, in February.

His leg muscles are already in decline and all of George’s muscles will gradually waste, including his heart. He is likely to be permanently in a wheelchair from the age of nine. He is not expected to live past his early 20s.

Mr Newman said: “It tore us apart when we found out about his condition. We had never heard of it before.

“It’s so sad and horrible. My wife is in tears every other day.”

The wheelchair would mean when George starts going to school in September he would have a lot more energy to be able to enjoy himself and his mother Claire would not have to push him up the hill there every day. It would also give him some independence from his parents.

Mr Newman said: “If he can get to and from school in chair he will be able to use all his energy at school. He is such a lovely boy. He knows he has a condition. It frustrates him that he can’t do what other children do and he gets very angry sometimes.”

For more information and to help visit http://www.justgiving.com/georges-wheels" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;