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Tot in cost battle over new legs

26 June 2008

HARVEY, who lost both his legs after
contracting meningitis, with his parents Jonathan and
Carol. Picture by TONY GAY

A TODDLER who lost his legs from meningitis is in danger
of being cast adrift by the National Health Service if his
parents go private and buy him new limbs from America next
week.

The NHS refuses to fund private treatment and is
threatening to cut back free care for two-year-old Harvey
Parry, if his parents go ahead with their plans.

Mum
Carol, 46, said: "Are they really going to do this? Harvey has
been through eight different sets of legs and none of them
work.

"I want everybody to stick two fingers up to the
government because all they are doing is wasting tax payers'
money.

"The whole stress of it is just too much. But I
won't let it beat me."

Mrs Parry, husband Jonathan, 46,
and daughter Iszanne, 18, will make the trip to New York on
Monday - with or without NHS funding.

They hope
prosthetic company A Step Ahead - which makes limbs for the
Paralympians - will enable Harvey to walk with comfort and
ease for the first time in his life.

A massive £38,000
has been raised towards the cost of the new legs following the
launch of an emotional appeal last year.

Shoppers and
residents outside The Mall, Wood Green, contributed more than
half that total.

"I just want to say to everyone in
Wood Green I love you, you have hearts of angels," Mrs Parry
continued.

"At a time when prices have gone up so much,
people are still putting their hands in their pockets." But
the fight is not over and the family hope to continue their
fundraising efforts after quitting their jobs to care for
Harvey full time.

The limbs alone cost about £24,000
and need to be adapted every eight months, while occupational
therapy sessions cost about £80 an hour.

Mrs Parry has
suffered two heart attacks brought on by stress in the last
year.

If they cannot change the law they have vowed to
take the matter to court, after enlisting the help of Andy
Love, MP for Edmonton.

Mr Parry said: "We have decided
enough is enough and we are going to get a decent pair of legs
that are actually feasible."

When Harvey is faced with
putting on his latest pair, he throws them to the ground and
starts to cry. The toddler's determined character has endeared
him to the public since he caught meningitis last February.
After septicaemia set in he had to have both his legs
amputated.

Mrs Parry said: "I'm a tough cookie. I will
not let anything get in the way, not even the Government. I
have to do this because who else will get my son
legs."

A spokeswoman for Enfield PCT said: "The NHS
does not fund private treatment and therefore Enfield PCT will
not fund any private treatment in America.

"Neither
could the NHS provide any support or maintenance to prostheses
supplied in America. However, there should be no impact on any
other NHS treatments that he currently
receives."

Edmonton MP Andy Love said: "The grey area
is will the NHS be flexible and do what they can to assist
Harvey with the new legs? I am currently looking for
clarification in the matter. But there is no threat to the
range of other future services for Harvey Parry on the
NHS.

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