Cole Hinchcliffe
Roberttown Mum Launches Fundraising Campaign For Treatment For Baby Son
Plagiocephaly Sucess Story
Local Mum, Leanne Hinchcliffe is appealing to the community to help raise funds for medical treatment for her baby son Cole.
The ten-month-old toddler, who was born at Dewsbury and District Hospital five weeks premature in September 2008, has just been diagnosed with Plagiocephaly, a condition also referred to as flat-head syndrome.
Mum Leanne said: “Cole has been through such a great deal already and has been a very poorly baby. At just seven-weeks-of-age he was diagnosed with heart disease and has two holes in the left hand side of his heart.”
She continued: “My partner and I, Richard, first noticed Cole’s head shape when he was three months old. It was very flat at the back and didn’t seem to be developing properly. We raised our concerns with the health visitor and were referred to a paediatrician at Leeds General.”
Cole was diagnosed with severe plagiocephaly. The hospital informed Leanne and Richard of a treatment available called PlagioCare™ offered by a specialist clinic in Leeds called Technology in Motion.
Leanne said: “We had an appointment at the orthotic clinic last week and the clinicians confirmed that they could treat Cole. He will have to wear a helmet for the next two years, which will help re-mould his skull.”
The PlagioCare™ treatment programme will cost the family nearly £2,000. Leanne said: “The NHS will not cover the costs of the treatment as they believe it to be a cosmetic issue – we can’t believe it!
“Every parent wants to give their child the best start in life. We don’t want Cole to grow up with a misshapen head, which would cause him problems later in life.”
The clinician treating Cole, Sandie Waddell said that Cole was one on the most severe cases she has ever seen.
Leanne and Richard are planning a number of fundraising activities over the coming weeks to help cover the cost of the treatment.
Anybody interested in donating should contact Leanne on 01924 410150.