Tristan, four, on a trek for his charity, HemiHelp (From Gazette & Herald)

Tristan Forsdyke on a trek for his charity, HemiHelp

10:33am Wednesday 29th August 2012 in News

A FOUR-year-old boy who suffers from a little-known condition is taking part in a sponsored walk to raise funds for the charity which supports him.

Tristan Forsdyke, who lives in Pickering , has hemiplegic, a neurological condition which weakens one side of the body.

His mother Tess is the North Yorkshire co-ordinator for HemiHelp, which helps children and young people with the condition. To raise awareness and funds, she and Tristan will be taking part in the sponsored walk next Wednesday.

Organised by Serco, based at RAF Fylingdales, the walk will be split into three distances around the site: 18 miles, six-and-a-half miles and a shorter one at two-three miles.

This is the 12th charity walk Serco has held and this year funds raised will go to HemiHelp and Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Tess said: “We will be joined by Tristan’s grandma and sister and will be taking his wheelchair, although we hope he will be able to walk as far as possible.

“There are three different distances and we are aiming to do two-and-a-half miles and meet up with everyone at the end.”

Tess said Tristan had been through a difficult time and had recently been fitted with a special suit to help prevent his spine twisting.

“He has now come through the other side and is learning to cope and get up and go again,” she said.

“At the moment, he is obsessed with watching the paralympic swimmer Sascha Kindred who is his favourite famous person and also one of the patrons of Hemihelp.”

Tess said she would be taking photos of the walk for Tristan to send to Sascha.

“They will also give Tristan something to look at to see what he has achieved,” she added.

Sponsor forms for Tess and Tristan are available at the Steam and Moorland Garden Centre, Pickering, or donations can be sent to Serco, c/o Angie Key, RAF Flyingdales, Pickering, YO18 7NT.