CJ Neville loves spending time with his family and anything involving water – a common characteristic for kids with Angelman Syndrome. Despite the difficulties he has faced, CJ brings a lot of joy to his family and friends and Satan’s Little Helper thought he deserved a treat!
CJ, who turns three this year, was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome two years ago. This rare disorder affects roughly one in every 20,000 people and causes delayed development, problems with speech and balance, intellectual disability and, sometimes, seizures. CJ will never talk and may not walk, though the family is hopeful that physical therapy might get him moving. His condition means that he needs assistance with all tasks, so CJ’s aunty, Kristin, got in touch with Satan’s Little Helper to share his story. “For me, being an aunty, it was something I could do to help the family out,” says Kristin. “You can’t sit him down to eat by himself. It’s really 24/7 care for him, it affects him hugely in so many different ways.” Satan’s Little Helper was touched by CJ’s story and decided to send him some goodies to splash around with, including an inflatable pool play unit and pool toys, plus some petrol vouchers to help the family get out on their boat. CJ’s mum, Sisko, was thrilled to receive the gifts. “It really put a smile in our hearts when these arrived,” says Sisko. “We fueled up the boat and took CJ out fishing, which he absolutely loved!” For Kristin, the response from Satan’s Litle Helper is about more than just a well-deserved treat, it’s about raising people’s awareness of Angelman Syndrome and other rare disorders. “It’s important to get it out there and make people more aware,” says Kristin. We couldn’t agree more, and can’t wait to hear how CJ enjoys his play pool!
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