Abe's Adventure - A step forward for Spastic Diplegia

Abe Astur, a two year old toddler from Winchester, suffers from a rare form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia.

Spastic diplegia causes the sufferer to have tight and stiff muscles, particularly in the limbs.

Therefore, this makes walking for Abe very difficult so he has the help of a walker. Not all spastic diplegia sufferers exhibit the same symptoms.

The family is raising money for a pioneering treatment in America called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy. The aim of SDR is to relieve muscle spasticity.

The operation costs around £40,000 but physiotherapy, travel expenses and accommodation will cost an extra £10,000 so they are raising a total of £50,000.

The operation will be at St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri.

A sponsored walk was held at Abby Gardens in Winchester, which gave his parents, Leigh and Gavin, a chance to raise awareness of the condition.

Abe and his family, followed by many friends and supporters of the campaign, joined in too and walked a lap around the park. A stall with cakes and coffee was also there to help raise extra money.

Gavin, his father, said: “Despite the illness, we are a normal happy family. There isn’t much impact on our daily life.”

They have created their own website for the cause which features a blog, a donation page and a gallery. So far they have raised over £25,000.

Good luck Abe!

http://abes-adventure.co.uk/about

Update: Since the sponsored walk last year, Abe has raised just under £40,000.

Update: Abe has had his operation and is recovering.

Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg - Album Review

Picture the lovechild of Bob Dylan and Eric Burdon.  Horrible right? Surprisingly, no.  It is unusual to find a modern folk album by such a young artist, untouched, out of reach, from the rut of the British music scene. Sure, Ben Howard and Ed Sheeran picked up a guitar and ashamedly sang about love but there was something missing. A teen with a guitar and the naivety that ‘everything really is going to be ok’ is nothing new but there is something special about Jake Bugg.

Barely in to manhood, Jake, 18, originating from Nottingham, has proved himself to be a real diamond in the rough. Don’t be fooled by his doe eyes, it’s obvious that this lad has seen more than your average middle class teen. His self-titled debut is sure to entice those begging for fresh meat, those craving some country. The crackling vocals and the influence of Dylan is plentiful; it’s almost too good to be true. A throwback to 60s Britain, Jake has managed to bring country-folk forward for a brand new audience to appreciate.

Bugg will have young misfits relating to the angsty album. ‘Two Fingers’ is essentially Bugg’s trophy. Laced with references to drinking and drugs, this track is his literal rendition of life in Clifton, Notts. It speaks to the troubled youth, in a hey-kid-it’ll-be-ok way. ‘Trouble Town’ recounts his feeling of being trapped in his dodgy town, reminiscent of ‘We Gotta Get Out Of This Place’ by The Animals. “The only thing that’s pretty is the thought of getting out”. Simple lyrics but straight from the heart. Although the album lacks a diverse sound, if you are a folk fan, this is a winner.

From the bloodcurdling estates to the private schools, he’s encountered a potentially wide fan base in a sea of X Factor puppets. Let’s not forget the baby boomers that grew up during the Dylan era. There is a danger of the mature listener questioning the validity of this perfectly produced package but he is certainly a grower.