By Russell McKinnon
A Geraldton youngster’s life has been made that much easier thanks to the donation of an electric trike that will help him assimilate with the community.
Six-year-old Oliver Carlyon has just received the trike with the assistance of the Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton, WA.
Oliver has endured six open-heart surgeries and spent more than a year and a half in and out of hospital for his congenital heart condition, hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
As a result of these life-saving surgeries, Oliver has low oxygen saturations between 70 and 80 per cent. This means leading a normal child’s life can be challenging as activity, even walking short distances, can make him very out of breath.
“He often ends up having to get carried and as he gets older this becomes harder on Oliver and our family,” said Oliver’s mother Sarah Carlyon.
Sarah said the trike, which was supplied by Revolutions and is designed to grow with him, will give Oliver freedom to get about independently.
“Kids take for granted they can ride a bike. Ollie can’t do that on his own because of his heart condition, so this is something that will make his life like a normal kid. He can’t do sports and contact sports that other kids can do, so this is giving him the opportunity to live like a normal kid, which is pretty big.”
“It is fantastic to be able to assist Ollie and his family improve his quality of life,” said Past President of the Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton Geoff Wood.
MAIN PICTURE: Oliver Carlyon on his new trike with Past President of the Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton Geoff Wood, left, parents Sarah and Brad Carlyon, brother Thomas, and Revolutions’ Paul Baldock.