Youngster Sam Smith bowled over by trip of a lifetime
Aug 31 2010 by Richard Fletcher, The Journal
BRAVE Sam Smith will be on a high Down Under when he travels across the globe for a cricket trip of a lifetime.
The cricket-mad youngster suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and has endured a testing year of operations and hospital visits. Now he is going to be rewarded with a trip to watch the Ashes Test series in Australia this winter, and his family has been bowled over by people’s generosity to help his dream become a reality.
Friends have had their legs waxed, his old school had a cake sale and their cricket club has sold match tickets to help raise the £15,000 needed to send him on the once in a lifetime trip.
Sam, 11, from Holeyn Hall Road in Wylam, Northumberland, will be cheering on England in December along with brothers Ben, 13, who goes to Prudhoe High School, and Joe, eight, who attends Wylam First.
Dad Danny, 46, a teacher at Ryton Comprehensive, and mum, Elaine, a teacher at Whitley Lodge First School, will also be going along. Danny said: “Sam has been a huge cricket fan for as long as I can remember, and we’re all involved with cricket in one way or another.
“It’s something for him to look forward to and will be a trip of a lifetime, a journey to the other side of the world to watch his sporting heroes in the greatest cricketing contest there is.”
The family are members at Stocksfield Cricket Club and brother Ben plays at South Northumberland and for Northumberland county.
Word about the fundraising spread to neighbouring clubs and Richard Stokoe, captain of Prudhoe, raised £500 by getting his legs waxed.
Between September and Christmas last year Sam, who goes to Ovingham Middle School, took part in a clinical safety trial at Newcastle’s RVI run by MDEX.
The 12-week study involved operations under general anaesthetic and hospital visits, but Sam never complained once and wanted to take part to help research the disease. Danny said: “Things are going very encouragingly and people have been unbelievably supportive and imaginative, which has been brill and very heartening. I’ve been overwhelmed by people’s support and willingness to help.”
The trip is particularly expensive because Sam will need to hire wheelchairs, have access to a wheelchair-compatible vehicle, and have specialist accommodation with equipment to help him in and out of bed and in the shower. Gosforth-based charity Smile For Life helped with buying flights, and has helped the family while they raise the rest of the money.
Danny said: “It’s been a testing year. This is a big project that has already given us a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment, and it has given us a real focus with something exciting to look forward to. We’re looking forward to getting on the aeroplane and starting the adventure.”
