Toy story

4th May 2012 News Release

Mia and Oxleas Physiotherapist Mary Strinati

A Thamesmead family were so impressed with the treatment their child received from a local healthcare trust that they donated £800 worth of new toys and equipment to say thank you.

Little Mia Bailey, aged three, was referred to Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust by Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich for some specialised treatment with the Children's Physiotherapy Team.

Mia has some mobility problems but she has come on "leaps and bounds" since her visits to the unit at Oxleas' Goldie Leigh site in Abbey Wood, south east London.

Mia's mum Fay Conroy said: "When I first brought her to Oxleas Mia had difficulty walking, crawling and had some feet problems. Now she is walking a lot better and has come on leaps and bounds following the physiotherapy and the swimming sessions she has had in the special hydrotherapy pool here. Mia has not been formally diagnosed yet but it is thought she may have something called motor development delay.

"A while ago we were told Mia would need a special trike to help with her mobility. They are quite expensive so I set about raising the money to pay for it. My dad is a member of a club in Blackfen and he helped organise a special race night to raise some cash for Mia. We had money left over so I donated it to the Children's Therapy Unit at Goldie Leigh."

Mary Strinati,a physiotherapist at the unit, said that Mia has a "global trunk weakness". Mary, 29, who has been with the trust for a year, said she was delighted Oxleas had been able to help Mia, who has a twin brother Charlie and two older sisters.

Mary said: "The donation means we have been able to buy a number of specialist toys and equipment that will benefit many of the children who come to us. We have been able to purchase a treadmill, an exercise bike, soft play equipment including a stairway and a slide, a bench, weighted balls and an indoor cricket set."

Notes for editors

Oxleas is in south east London and provides mental health and learning disability services in Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich boroughs, community health services in Bexley and Greenwich, and specialist services to Lewisham.