(L-r) Little Natasha with mum Natalie, dad Ian and Hughes Christensen worker Jim Farr
Generous firm help tot
in bid for US treatment
Thursday, May 15, 2008
By Victoria McMahon
Big-hearted workers and bosses at Huges Christensen in east Belfast are
digging deep for pioneering treatment to help a tot who suffers from such a
rare genetic disorder there are only four known cases of it in the world.
Little Natasha Falls is one of just four kids worldwide who suffers from
Chromosome 18q and because she is missing the long arm of chromosome 18 she
suffers multiple seizures a day — one day enduring 19 seizures over an
eight-hour period.
The youngster’s battle for survival has been-touch-and-go since being
resuscitated at birth 13 months ago.
The only hope for the brave little girl is cutting-edge treatment in
Chicago, USA, for three to four months which will cost £150,000.
When Natasha’s dad Ian’s colleagues and bosses at the Montgomery Road firm
heard about the family’s heartbreaking plight they were moved to help.
Now a group of Hughes Christensen workers are putting their best foot
forward in a 10-mile sponsored walk and generous bosses are matching their
fundraising efforts with a £2,100 boost.
“It’s been unbelievable, absolutely fantastic,” said Ian who has worked for
the east Belfast firm for 10 years. “We are really hoping the treatment in
America will give Natasha a better quality of life. We’re really grateful to
everybody for what they are doing,” said the engineer.
Without the treatment Natasha’s outlook is bleak, as doctors say she’ll
never be able
to walk, talk or feed without a tube and her life expectancy is in doubt
because they have never come across her condition before.
Natasha’s mum, Natalie Hampton hopes the treatment would see her little girl
take her first steps.
“This treatment would give her a better quality of life,” she said.
“Hopefully the treatment would allow her to take a wee step some day — that
would be amazing. With the treatment and equipment and scans she would be
able to get in Chicago it would open the door to possibilities which we
wouldn’t have otherwise.
“She’s a wee fighter and she’ll keep fighting if everyone believes in her,”
said her doting mum.
Alan Bannister, manufacturing manager at Huges Christensen, said: “We are
quite willing to assist in any practical way we can. We were more than
willing to match the donations being raised for the sponsored walk,
especially as Natasha’s condition is so very rare. It’s the least we could
do to support Ian and his family,” he said.
To donate log-on to
www.natashafalls.com .
