A MUM who has dedicated her life to caring for her son said she was speechless when she found out she had been nominated for a Proud of Barnsley award.
Michelle Ryder of Foxmires Grove, Goldthorpe, was nominated for the carer award, due to giving her six-year-old son William 24-hour care due to his complex medical issues.
William was born three months’ early weighing one pound three ounces, and now suffers with cerebral palsy and epilepsy as well as being visually impaired. Michelle also has to tube feed William.
She said: “Being nominated for this award truly meant the world to me. It meant that someone can see that what I do is worthwhile and can be a strain. It’s not a job though, he is my son and I’m just doing what any mum would do in my situation. I know what I do is not as easy as families that don’t have these medical issues and some days can be really hard. I was speechless when I found out that I’d been nominated, but I was also really proud.”
Michelle, 42, had problems throughout her pregnancy and miscarried William’s twin at 16 weeks.
She said: “After we lost his twin we thought that was it but William was born at 27 weeks. He spent the first two years of his life in hospital with one thing after another.
“Last year William had a stroke and spent five months in hospital but he is doing well now.”
Michelle, with the help of a children’s charity, is taking William to Florida so that he can experience Disney World with his family.
She said: “We are going in just over four weeks. We are praying that he stays well enough to go as we have had to cancel things in the past.
“Although William is non verbal as soon as he sees Mickey I know he will just light up and squeal in delight.
“I can’t wait to go away with him, it’s going to be perfect.”
