Jude Keil
Donation buys therapeutic exercise trainer for young boy confined to wheelchair
Just before he reached 10, Jude Keil was a normal active and growing young boy. He was an excellent cyclist and swimmer, regularly completing 10 miles off roading with his Dad and could happily snorkel for hours, chasing fish in the sea.
But in July 2022 his parents, Emma and Peter, noticed Jude was experiencing a shortness of breath. More complications followed and in February 2023, eventually his nervous system broke down and prevented him from breathing, moving or talking on his own.
After 11 months at The Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Jude is now confined to a wheelchair, reliant on a tracheostomy and a ventilator to breathe. He communicates by eye movements. His condition still has no name, and it may well be that he is the world’s only sufferer. The closest the medical profession can come to diagnosis is that it an unknown type of motor polyneuropathy.
Emma and Peter reached out to the Axis Foundation for help – and our Trustees were delighted to make a donation of £3,600 to enable them to purchase a therapeutic MotoMed Loop exercise bike for Jude.
Peter told our Trustees: “Thank you so much. This is fantastic news, not only for Jude but for us as a family. Jude always has been a great cyclist and in The Evelina hospital he was able to use a MotoMed machine so well. With this machine we will be able to ‘ride’ again together, albeit indoors or in the garden (when it finally gets warmer!).
“In the last 2 years we have seen and learnt so much. We have learnt that having the right tools for recovery is not only vital but so expensive.
“The likelihood of Jude having a full recovery is unknown due to the rarity of his condition. But we are determined to make sure he lives, rather than exists. He is now showing signs of nerve triggering to his muscles and requires complex and detailed physiotherapy.
With his current response to basic physiotherapy we believe that equipment such as the MotoMed would enable a significant muscle engagement. This will give Jude the chance to perhaps even stand or walk again! We are so grateful Jude has been selected for this award.”
You can find out more and support Jude directly here
