Cheyne Charity

24/06/2026

Some children show us exactly what determination looks like. Astrid is one of them, and with her family's blessing, we're honoured to share her story. 💙

Astrid was born at 29+6 weeks after spontaneous labour. During her birth she had a stroke, something her family wouldn't discover until she was two years old. What followed was almost five years of going back and forth between specialists, trying to understand what had happened to their daughter.

Astrid is non-verbal, with limited gross and fine motor skills. She was given condition after condition but never a formal diagnosis. By the time answers finally came, 17 different conditions were listed against her name. For years, all her parents heard was "brain damage." Then, in November 2025, thanks to the determination of her family and her incredible physiotherapist, Astrid was officially diagnosed with hypotonic cerebral palsy. It's the rarest type of CP, less than 3% of cases, and a big part of why it took so long to find.

Astrid didn't roll until she was eight months old, or sit independently until 11 months. It took her two years to walk. Her family were always told she'd "catch up" because she was premature, but the truth is she never quite did. To this day she's unsteady on her feet and can manage only a few steps. She wears splints and relies heavily on her disability buggy to get around.

They were told she would never walk, never talk, and never be able to communicate her needs. Astrid had other ideas. She's still non-verbal, but words are starting to come, and so is communication. Her family don't know exactly what her future holds, but they know she will keep on thriving.

Alongside her CP, Astrid has autism and sensory processing disorder, which makes the everyday world far harder to navigate. She doesn't play with typical toys and relies instead on sensory equipment and regulation techniques to feel safe and settled, and for any family raising a disabled child, funding this can feel near impossible.

Astrid's family hoped to build her a dedicated sensory space, somewhere safe she can go when things become overwhelming. We were glad to help make that happen by funding a calming sensory pea pod, a set of large shatterproof mirrors, and an LED bubble wall for her new room. Small things to some, but for Astrid they mean calmer, safer days, and more moments her family can simply enjoy with her.

Astrid is proof of what resilience and hard work can achieve. Raising awareness of hypotonic CP has become a lifelong mission for her mum, so other families don't face the same years of uncertainty and heartbreak. Knowing the early warning signs could have spared them so much.

If Astrid's story has moved you, please share it, to help raise awareness of hypotonic cerebral palsy and help us reach more children like her. 💙

21/06/2026

We’re so pleased to have helped Henry on his way 💪😃

23/04/2026

We’re pleased to share that following the success of the event in March, Aideen Blackborough will be running another session in June.

Aideen is an accessibility and inclusion consultant, parent, and adult with lived experience of cerebral palsy.

The session offers a thoughtful, supportive environment for parents that draws on her own life experiences to provide reassurance, perspective, and a longer-term view of growing up with cerebral palsy.

This session is designed to be gentle, pressure-free, and grounded in lived experience rather than advice or comparison, and we hope it will be a valuable space for parents who may simply want to listen, reflect, and feel less alone.

📅 Thursday 23rd June
🕢 7:30—9:00pm (Online)

From Aideen:

I’m running a small, supportive online session for parents of children with cerebral palsy.

It’s based on a gap I see time and time again.

Parents are often surrounded by professionals, reports, assessments, and predictions but far less often hear from adults who have actually grown up with cerebral palsy and lived the long view.

This session is not medical advice.

It’s not a comparison of children or outcomes.

And it’s not about having the “right” answers.

Instead, it’s an honest, reassuring conversation grounded in lived experience. We’ll explore what childhood, education, independence, work, confidence, and identity can look like over time, including what genuinely mattered, and what didn’t, as life unfolded.

The session is designed to be calm, pressure-free, and accessible. Cameras are optional. Questions are optional. Parents are welcome to simply listen, and leaving early is absolutely fine.

💻 £10 per household + platform booking fee (Both parents/carers welcome)

👥 Limited to 25 households to keep the session supportive and informal

If you’re a parent of a child with cerebral palsy — or if you work with families, schools, or parent networks — please feel free to share. Sometimes just knowing that these conversations exist, and that there is a longer view, can be reassuring in itself.

Aideen Blackborough

Book Here:

A supportive evening for parents, offering an adult perspective on cerebral palsy, childhood, and what the long view can look like.

13/02/2026

We’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to Bly Twomey for her incredibly kind donation to The Cheyne Charity.

Bly is just 15 and already an inspiration. After winning medals at the 2024 Paralympics and becoming the youngest ever Paralympic table tennis medallist, she has chosen to use her success to give back. Each year she supports a charity close to her heart, and we are so grateful that this year she has chosen to support children with cerebral palsy through Cheyne.

Your generosity and thoughtfulness mean a great deal, Bly — thank you for helping us continue to support children and families who need it.

If you’d like to follow Bly’s journey and see what she’s achieving next, do take a look at her Instagram page and show your support bly_tabletennis 💙🩷

https://www.instagram.com/bly_tabletennis?igsh=ZjU1MjNkZ3k0Mmhk

23/01/2026

Trustee Appointments

We’re seeking new trustees with a range of skills and lived experience to help shape the future of our charity.

As a Trustee, you’ll play a direct role in how we support children and young people with cerebral palsy, helping more families access therapy, specialist equipment, and practical support that improves everyday life.

Interested in finding out more? Visit our website:

https://www.cheynecharity.org/trustees

20/01/2026

We’re pleased to share the following event led by Aideen Blackborough, an accessibility and inclusion consultant, parent, and adult with lived experience of cerebral palsy.

Aideen is offering a thoughtful, supportive session for parents that draws on her own life experiences to provide reassurance, perspective, and a longer-term view of growing up with cerebral palsy.

This session is designed to be gentle, pressure-free, and grounded in lived experience rather than advice or comparison, and we hope it will be a valuable space for parents who may simply want to listen, reflect, and feel less alone.

📅 Tuesday 10 March
🕢 7:30—9:00pm (Online)

As part of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month this March, I’m running a small, supportive online session for parents of children with cerebral palsy.

It’s based on a gap I see time and time again.

Parents are often surrounded by professionals, reports, assessments, and predictions but far less often hear from adults who have actually grown up with cerebral palsy and lived the long view.

This session is not medical advice.

It’s not a comparison of children or outcomes.

And it’s not about having the “right” answers.

Instead, it’s an honest, reassuring conversation grounded in lived experience. We’ll explore what childhood, education, independence, work, confidence, and identity can look like over time, including what genuinely mattered, and what didn’t, as life unfolded.

The session is designed to be calm, pressure-free, and accessible. Cameras are optional. Questions are optional. Parents are welcome to simply listen, and leaving early is absolutely fine.

💻 £10 per household + platform booking fee (Both parents/carers welcome)

👥 Limited to 25 households to keep the session supportive and informal

If you’re a parent of a child with cerebral palsy — or if you work with families, schools, or parent networks — please feel free to share. Sometimes just knowing that these conversations exist, and that there is a longer view, can be reassuring in itself.

Aideen Blackborough

Book Here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/growing-up-with-cerebral-palsy-one-adults-perspective-tickets-1980077829089?