52 Lives

#294 Tommy & Lucy

Request: Donations / Gifts / Messages

This week, we’d like to help a 6 year old boy called Tommy and his 12 year old sister, Lucy.

Tommy has a complex medical condition that has resulted in limited mobility, regular seizures, and a sensory processing disorder. He also has autism and ADHD.

Tommy, Lucy and their mum had to leave their family home last year due to domestic violence. Tommy’s dad was drinking a lot, and neglecting the children while Tommy’s mum was at work. Lucy was often left to look after Tommy, and their dad also became abusive to Tommy and his mum.

On top of all of that, they also had to shield for most of last year to keep Tommy safe, as he is extremely clinically vulnerable.

Lucy has been incredible through it all. She helps to bathe and put Tommy to bed, and has never complained once about having to shield for him.

Her mum said: “She went above what anyone would have asked of her to make sure her brother was safe. She never left the house. Not even once for exercise or fresh air and she educated all her friends on the importance of the Covid rules and how it would affect her brother. She’s an amazing little human and I’m so proud of her.”

It’s been such a tough year for this family, and we’d like to help make life a little bit better for them.

Tommy and Lucy love being outside, but their back garden fence is rotten and falling apart, and some panels are missing altogether. It is completely unsafe – especially for Tommy. We’d like to build a new fence for them, and also create a sensory area in the garden in time for the summer. 

What We Need

1. Donations: We'll use your donations to pay for repairs to the garden, and anything else they need. 100% of what you give will be used to help this family. To donate online, please click the link below. Or to donate by text, use the details in the box provided. Cheques can made payable to 52 Lives and sent to PO Box 3154, Reading, RG1 9AT. 

2. Gifts: We've set up an Amazon wishlist with some sensory toys, and other things for the children. To buy a gift from the wishlist, please click the link below. It will be sent directly to the family (just tick 'this is a gift' and choose the 'gift registry address' at checkout). Please note: It's only a small list this week, so if it's empty it means it has all been bought already.

3. Messages: We'd love to send some kind messages to the whole family. To send a message to Tommy, Lucy or their mum, please post it to: 52 Lives (Life # 294), PO Box 3154, Reading, RG1 9AT. Or you can email a message by writing it in the form below and we will pass it along (your contact details will not be shared). 

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What We Did

We raised enough for all the repairs to their garden and you also sent so many gifts and kind messages for the family. It made a huge difference to them.

"When I first came to 52 Lives for support I was in a really horrible place. I had never been so low and so lost and lonely. I honestly felt so alone and overwhelmed by the situation I found myself in. The help 52 Lives offered me meant the world to me. It wasn’t just the practical/financial help to do up my garden for the children but the surprise of all those gifts turning up was amazing. I kept all the little cards and words of support. They honestly meant everything.

"So right now me and the kids are in a much better place. I mean we are by no means “fixed” and we are not living a wealthy life at all, but we are worlds apart from back then. I am proud of how far we have come and it does make me look back and remember how awful life was back then."