Lions Hand Owen Kew New Lease of Life

By Linda Fort
July 23, 2012

Mike Wilson, back left, president of Pangbourne, Theale & District Lions, community service officer Caerwyn Watts and Reading West MP Alok Sharma with Owen Kew, mum Helen and brother Lucas

A six-year-old boy who cannot walk was given a new lease of life last weekend.

Reading West MP Alok Sharma joined Pangbourne and Theale Lions Club to help present a specially designed electric wheelchair to young Owen Kew.

Owen, from Tilehurst, has dystonic quadriplegic palsy and epilepsy which means he is unable to sit up, walk or talk.

The presentation came after a campaign to raise £14,000 for the wheelchair led by Owen’s mother Helen with the support of the Lions Club.

The wheelchair has been designed for his requirements and imported from Sweden, as it is not available from the NHS.

It will give him much greater freedom in his day-to-day life and should last six to nine years.

Owen’s family applied first to the charity Newlife, which provided a grant of £11,682 towards the chair – the bulk of the cost but not enough for all the adaptations.

Pangbourne and Theale Lions Club heard about Owen a year ago and organised fetes, whist drives, Easter egg tombolas, quiz evenings and the Yattendon Shoot to raise money.

Wyn Watts from Pangbourne Lions co-ordinated the response from other groups and helped facilitate a £1,000 pledge from the Newbury Lions, £300 from Basingstoke Lions, £500 from Loddon Valley Lions and £300 from Pangbourne Lodge of The Masons.

Pangbourne and Theale Lions Club also contributed to the costs of Owen’s speech therapy and work carried out to the family home to make it accessible, including new driveways at the front and back of the house.

Mr Sharma said: “I was delighted to speak at this formal presentation of the new wheelchair to Owen, who is a remarkable young boy.

“I pay tribute to all those that have been involved in raising money for the wheelchair, which I know will really help Owen and his family who are so incredibly supportive.”

Mike Wilson, president of the Pangbourne, Theale and District Lions Club, said: “With Newlife, our fellow Lions, the Masons and our friends and supporters, we are happy to support the family and will give further help to Owen’s on-going needs.”