A REDRUTH family have launched an appeal for funds to help buy equipment to improve the quality of life of their disabled two-year-old son.

Adam George has a rare neuro-muscular condition. His current diagnosis is spinal muscular atrophy, which – in layman's terms – means basic things like sitting up and crawling are virtually impossible for him.

Adam also has arthrogryposis.

He was born with severe bilateral talipes (clubfoot), a condition that has already required two lots of surgery, with a third to follow in September.

He has also had surgery to repair a dislocated hip and spent four months in a plaster cast from his chest to his feet, with a small hole to enable nappy changing.

On top of all this, he suffers frequent and prolonged chest infections, the most recent of which needed a month of antibiotics, three days in hospital and lots of chest physiotherapy.

His parents, Rachel and Paul, do lots of physiotherapy with him at home. They exercise his legs, do foot stretches and work to help him to sit and try to bear his own weight.

Top of the list of Adam's needs at the moment is a powered wheelchair, which would improve the quality of his life immeasurably.

He would be able to move around, to play, even to pick things up from the floor when he drops them – something which is impossible for him at the moment. Rachel said: "The wheelchair which we want to buy comes with a standing frame attachment, which will enable Adam to join in with making cakes, washing dishes and all the things small children like to do to 'help' mummy.

"Standing will also offer enormous benefit to his chest and will aid proper development and growth of his hips."

Adam has been treated at Bristol Children's Hospital and is currently being assessed by a team from Great Ormond Street.

Someone else who would benefit from a more mobile Adam is his older brother William. Rachel said: "William is desperate for Adam to be able to play and chase around the garden with him and has already collected £60 by asking relatives if they have any loose change that he can have for his brother's fund. He is a marvellous little boy who shows great understanding of his brother's needs. It must be hard for him, when so much of our time and focus is taken up by Adam's appointments and therapies." Adam's godmother, Heidi Cox is an aerobics instructor at Body and Soul in Redruth.

She is staging an aerobathon on September 20 between 2 and 4pm to raise funds.

Anyone who would like to help with Adam's growing equipment needs, or would like to find out more about Adam is invited to visit www.adamsfund.co.uk