BDF Newlife becomes Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children
Howard Lake | 30 October 2008 | News
Three quarters of a million disabled children could soon be about to benefit following the announcement that leading charity BDF Newlife has changed its name to Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children and widened its scope so that all disabled and terminally ill children in the UK can take advantage of its services.
Newlife’s mission is to be specialists for special children and a ‘one stop shop’ for all childhood disability issues. For almost 20 years the charity’s focus has been the health and welfare of disabled children – specifically those with inborn conditions (birth defects).
But now, with a change of name and increase in scope, Newlife can now help children affected by:
· Acquired conditions – such as cancers and immune disorders
· Infection based conditions – such as meningitis and rubella
· Accident and injury conditions – such as head and severe limb injures
· Prematurity/Trauma – such as cerebral palsy and seizures
· Inborn conditions – such as syndromes diseases and malformations
With more children surviving longer due to advances in science and healthcare, Newlife offers a unique range of services to support these children and their families: Specialist Support Services – a Nurse led helpline and publications service provides dedicated information and support; Equipment Grants Service – Newlife provides grants to buy vital equipment such as wheelchairs, beds, communication aids and pain relief/safety apparatus; Medical Research – pioneering research to improve child health and diagnostic techniques; Campaigning and Awareness – acting as a voice for disabled children and their families to campaign for key improvements at the highest level.
Sheila Brown OBE is the Chief Executive of Newlife Foundation. She said: “In the past provision for disabled children has been a real Cinderella service. As a charity we have been instrumental in exposing the reality that a large number of children in the UK are being deprived of physical help and are experiencing real suffering. For too long equipment provision systems in the UK have been allowed to crumble and fail leaving at least a quarter of a million disabled and terminally ill children in desperate need of assistance.
“More children are surviving with more complex needs. More equipment has been invented to meet these needs but less is being made available. Families are faced with battles to get help and our vulnerable and precious children are losing out. This must and will change.
“Newlife is the start of a new beginning for all disabled children.”
In addition to its change of name and scope, the Newlife logo has also been redesigned to reflect the charity’s wider reach and now features a parent and child in place of the previous parent and baby logo.
Ends
For further information on Newlife activities go to:
www.newlifecharity.co.uk
Press enquiries to:
Laura Mason, PR Manager, Newlife, on 01543 431 478 or Email:
lm****@ne************.uk
.
Issued by Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, Newlife Centre, Hemlock Way, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11 7GF.
For further information please contact Laura Mason, PR Manager at Newlife on Tel: 01543 468 888 Ext:288, Mobile: 07870640930, Fax: 01543 468999 or Email:
lm****@ne************.uk
.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.