THE family of a disabled youngster are appealing for help to raise more than £8,000 for a ‘life-changing’ piece of equipment which will give their son ‘a voice’.

Logan Smith, of Worsbrough Road, Birdwell, was born with hydrocephalus, hypotonia - which is a type of cerebral palsy and has stunted much of his development.

The four-year-old spent three months in hospital when he was born where his mum, Cody Hepple, was told that Logan may ‘not make it’.

Cody, 29, told the Chronicle: “I found out when I was 16 weeks pregnant that I was having a boy and I was over the moon.

“Then we were told they had found water on Logan’s brain and it was likely hydrocephalus.

“We got booked in at the hospital and then they confirmed that’s what he had.

“At 35 weeks we went in for a normal scan and found that there was also some excess fluid around Logan’s lungs.

“When I had Logan, I was basically told that he might not cry and might not make it - but when I had my Caesarean section I heard him cry which was such a relief.”

Logan spent around three to four months in a number of hospitals with Cody and the family, and was even diagnosed with heart failure and underwent brain surgery just days after being born.

He is non-verbal and was also diagnosed with global development delay and visual impairment - but Cody says he’s just a ‘happy’ little boy.

“We were told many times to come and sit with him through the night because he might not make it as he was the most poorly baby on the ward,” she added.

“He managed to get better and he was allowed home on heart medication - after so many months his heart just went back to normal which was amazing.

“He’s still a really happy little boy and he knows what he’s doing even though he’s non-verbal.”

Cody set up a fundraiser back in 2020 to help get life-changing equipment for her son as well as urgent private therapy sessions.

She said she was overwhelmed by the support she received, but they’re now looking to raise an extra £4,500 - double their previous amount - to support Logan in a new way, with the Eyegaze machine.

“I saw someone post on Facebook about the eye gaze - I searched for the company and organised a demo,” she added.

“Logan could work the machine well - which monitors his eyes - and his face lit up when he realised he was controlling it, he started dancing and smiling.

“It’s £8,717 which is obviously a lot of money - it’s so hard because as his mum I really want to give him everything but I can’t when it’s that expensive.

“The support so far has been amazing and we’re so happy with how kind people have been to Logan - but we still need to raise around £4,500.

“This will be Logan’s voice - everyone deserves one but we have to pay for it.”