“The Micro Scooter gives my daughter a sense of ownership, independence and mobility. My child received a gift of a kidney from her mother in March 2023. In just 7 days she got moving around the ward and first thing she called out for was to bring her pink Micro Scooter from home, which she used to get around the ward.” Parent
Since 2021, Micro Scooters has generously been supporting Spread a Smile, donating an amazing 166 micro scooters, helmets and scooting accessories to support seriously ill children and their families.
Hospitalisation can be a very scary experience for children, often causing significant anxiety and distress. Play is an essential part of childhood and is at the very heart of mental, social and emotional growth and wellbeing. Prolonged and repeated hospitalisation, time at home or endless days feeling unwell significantly reduces opportunities for play, socialisation and physical movement.
Laura Walter, Spread a Smile Director of Services continued saying, “Physical activity is important for everyone, including children who are in hospital. Some patients can be in hospital for a long time, so it is important that they stay as active as possible during their stay. Scooting is a fantastic way to encourage them to take part in exercise that is fun, when they feel able to.”
The scooters have been used to help children get from one area of the hospital to another for treatment and also to support children’s rehabilitation by promoting physical activity and improving motor skills
One parent told us, “The scooter makes a huge difference to our son. He has a chronic lung condition, which means he struggles to walk any distance. He has a wheelchair which he can use, but he doesn’t like to be so different from his friends and other kids. When we travel into London for hospital appointments, we use a scooter as a much easier way for him to travel without exerting himself. The scooter is also easier for me to lift on and off the train. It makes a huge difference to his life and disability.”
We are so grateful for the fantastic support from Micro Scooters and are looking forward to continuing to work in partnership with them to spread even more smiles to even more children.
Partnerships such as this play a vital role in ensuring we can continue to be there for seriously ill children and their families when they need us most. Please do reach out with our Partnerships Manager, Lucy Keith by emailing lucykeith@spreadasmile.org to find out more about exciting partnership opportunities with Spread a Smile.
