Running half marathon for speech and language therapy service
A mother of twins is to take part in a half marathon next month hoping to raise hundreds of pounds to help fund interactive toys for a speech and language therapy service which has been instrumental in the development of her young son.
Emily Gillingham is to line up at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the 13.1-mile course which runs round the sport’s complex and nearby Lee Valley park, in London, on Sunday, September 5.
And the 31-year-old book keeper, who lives in Ipswich, has already raised £256 towards her £350 target of funds as her way of saying thank you to the staff who helped her three-and-a-half year old son Harry, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Since October 2020 he has been seeing a speech and language therapist via Suffolk Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service after her and her 38-year-old husband Neil had no way of really communicating with Harry, and knowing if he understood what that were saying.
He was referred to the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds, and subsequently attends St Helens House, in Ipswich, where Anna Carter, his speech and language therapist, was instrumental in helping Harry’s development.
Emily has already completed three half marathons and said she is welcoming her next challenge in her bid to raise funds for the My WiSH Charity, which supports the work of the hospital and in the community.
She said: “You don’t really appreciate the art of communication, pointing, nodding, facial expressions, verbal words until you don’t have them or they are not understood.”
During his sessions Harry, whose twin sister Nellie-May has no signs of any similar issues, has come on in leaps and bounds but Emily said “his journey” is not yet “finished.”
She added: But we are so proud of how far Harry has come and the amount he has learnt over the past eight months. That is all down to the guidance and support of our amazing speech and language therapist.
“All children deserve the right to learn and I’m so grateful our Harry is in the safe hands of the Suffolk Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service.
“It’s opened up a communication channel for us and he has really come on so well.
“I wanted to do something to raise funds for the service and help them to get some equipment. The things that they taught him and the work that they do is so invaluable. It’s just so beneficial to have therapists who understand.”
Sally Daniels, fundraising manager, said “It’s great to get out to support our community teams and we are so grateful to Emily for highlighting their incredible work. As a charity we aren’t just hospital based but support so many external areas too who would benefit from donations to help them enhance the amazing care they give. Good luck to Emily and thank you for supporting us”.
To support Emily go to her Just Giving website page at www.justgiving.com/emily-gillingham2
Main photo: Emily Gillingham with twins Harry and Nellie-May.
Written by Russell Cook for My WiSH Charity