Berkshire boy who suffered rare spinal stroke determined to walk again unaided

Mason Fuller's family told ITV's Mike Pearce that his best hope is specialist physiotherapy, but it’s not available on the NHS.

The family of a 14-year-old boy, who suffered a rare spinal stroke, have launched an urgent fundraising appeal to help him walk again.

There’s no cure and the condition can cause complete paralysis.Thanks to the John Radcliffe and Stoke Mandeville Hospitals, Mason Fuller from Woodley in Berkshire can now walk short distances.

But the intensive physiotherapy he urgently needs to continue to improve is not available on the NHS.

Mason had been to a fireworks party last November when he was taken ill and rushed to hospital.

Mason was rushed to hospital for a series of MRIs Credit: ITV Meridian

Extensive tests revealed he'd had a rare spinal stroke and his parents were told he may never walk again.

The problem is caused by a blood clot on the spinal cord.“The panic set in for me when they said you will be here for a few weeks," said dad, Ben Fuller.

"There were lots of tests and not knowing for so long. He spent a night in high dependency and was blue lighted to John Ratcliffe. He was there for four weeks and you realise how serious it is.”“That first few weeks were absolutely terrifying," said mum, Claire. "I couldn't really talk to anybody, I couldn't communicate with anybody, I couldn't really even look at Ben without crying."

"It was like, what has happened to our child. He was in bed, paralysed.”

Hospital staff have helped Mason to get back on his feet Credit: ITV Meridian

Mason’s family have highly praised months of intensive care by hospital staff. His mobility has improved, but even with the use of aids he can only walk short distances.“I can’t do as much as I used to and I have missed out on stuff that my siblings and friends have been able to do," said Mason, "It’s been lots of physio and more physio out of hospital now.”“He can cover short distances now," said Claire, "We hope with more intense physio those muscles will just keep improving and he'll get stronger and stronger and we hope that he will be able to walk around unaided."

"We don’t know. No-one knows. We just have to throw everything into getting him as mobile as we possibly can.”

Mason now needs specialist physio treatment to continue his recovery Credit: ITV Meridian

Nine months on, the best hope of seeing any notable improvement is specialist physiotherapy, but it’s not available on the NHS.

So now the family are raising funds to go private and look at other treatments.

Progress made in the first two years after a spinal stroke is seen as the best hope of better long term mobility.

Mason's family hopes he will be able to walk unaided with specialist physiotherapy Credit: ITV Meridian

“We were reluctant to put it out there at first but we launched the Go Fund Me page because he needs specialist neuro physio sessions, said Ben. "They recommend two a week for two years or more."

"The more you can do the more chance you've got of recovery," said Claire, "It is different to usual physio.”

Mason wants to give it his best shot, “I just want to get back to what life used to be. I haven't reached it yet and it's going to be a lot more effort to fully get there.”The family hope money raised will also buy specialist equipment to help Mason on his road to recovery.

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