Online bingo friendship leads to pledge to help poorly Doncaster four-year-old

Sarah Walters’ four year old son, Jayden Walters, suffers from a rare life limiting condition, Loeys-Dietz syndrome. He was diagnosed after being rushed to a special care unit shortly after his birth and undergoing heart surgery.

It has left him in a wheelchair, which means his home on Norman Crescent, Rossington, needs alterations so he can move freely in and out of the garden, and his family wants to create a sensory room to help him.

Mum Sarah had mentioned her son’s disability in a chat room during an online bingo game – and Donna Parkhouse, who has a disabled daughter picked up on this.

Now, Donna, who runs a family property development with her husband in Newcastle, has pledged to do the work on the house, and set up a fundraiser to pay for the equipment in the sensory room.

Donna has a 30-year-old daughter with learning disabilities herself and wanted to help.

She said: “I was moved by Jayden’s story, and I’ve become good friends with his mum.”

Her workmen will widen the back door so his wheelchair can get outside the house, and put ramps in place. They will also put paving in the garden for his chair.

They will create the sensory room, made up of special lights and surfaces, with money from a crowdfunding appeal, and from a fundraising shopping website.

Jayden’s mum, Sarah, said: “Jayden is shielding, so it is important for him to get outside in the garden. When he was in hospital, he used their sensory room and it helped him a lot if he was having a bad day. This would make a big difference to his life.

"I met Donna on a bingo website – we both have disabled children. There are a lot of people on there who are shielding, as a way to socialise. I’m really grateful for her help.”

Jayden previously hit the headlines in August, when 150 bikers turned up outside his home to sing happy birthday to him.

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