A Bushey based business has raised a staggering £34,000 for an employees son, who has a unique genetic disorder so rare it doesn’t have a name.
George Reed, 9, who lives in Harrow, is believed to be the only person in the world with his condition. His partial duplication of chromosomes two and nine have resulted in severe learning disability, low muscle tone, autism and epilepsy. He is non-verbal and has a gastric tube to help him eat and drink.
George’s mother Anita works at J2 Design Agency in Bushey, as a creative planning director. The firm has raised more than £30,000 by holding a virtual 200km cycle race across two offices with each employee doing 15-minute stints with support from clients and colleagues. More events are planned throughout the year and managing director Julian West has pledged to match funds raised up to the first £3,000.
Anita said: “It means such a lot to me that my colleagues and clients have thrown themselves behind our fundraising in this way. The more George grows, the more urgent the adaptations to the house become and it is amazing to feel supported in this way.”
The family are hoping to raise £75,000 to make changes to their house so that George can have more freedom, as well as help fund respite care. Planned adaptations include making the front of the house level so they don’t have to lift his heavy wheelchair over the doorstep and making the downstairs rooms level so that George doesn’t have to spend all his time in one room. They would also like to install a wet room with specialist equipment and create space for an overnight carer.
The family is being supported by the children’s charity Tree of Hope, which helps families fundraise for children like George with healthcare needs and provides charity status to benefit from gift aid, corporate support whilst also providing donor reassurance.
Julian West, Managing Director at J2 said: “George is a very special, unique boy in so many ways and we all felt very strongly that we should do something to help him, Anita and her whole family. To have raised over £30,000 in our first event is amazing and I’d like to thank our friends, clients and partners for their incredibly generous support. It doesn’t stop there for J2 though, we’re going to do our very best to reach the magic £75,000 with a series of other events in the coming months.”
To donate to George’s fund, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/j2forgeorge
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