PARENTS Rebecca and David Reed from Middlewich have been overwhelmed by the support for an appeal to buy a specialist bed for their son.


William Reed, aged five, suffers from severe epilepsy caused by seven tumours on his brain, the result of the condition tuberous sclerosis.


He fits constantly, and needs a safe, padded bed where he can sleep and play without hurting himself.


A colleague of Rebecca’s decided to help, and set up an online donations page in a bid to raise the £6,000 needed to buy a specialist bed.


The page has just 30 days to reach its target, and 11 days after it was launched donations had reached £4,307.


The appeal has received a huge boost with a £1,500 donation from Middlewich Round Table.


Rebecca and David live in Middlewich, Rebecca is a teacher at St John’s Primary School in Macclesfield and David is a police officer at Northwich.


The donations page was set up by Helen Whiteley, who also teaches at St John’s School.


“It’s unbelievable how much the appeal has raised, and the reaction to it has been phenomenal,” said Rebecca, 29.


“There are so many kind people out there, and we’ve been overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity.


“There is no way we could afford to buy the bed William needs, which has high sides to prevent him climbing out and is padded so he cannot hurt himself.”


At the moment William uses a normal single bed with a guard, which he can fall out of and is liable to bang his head on the wall during the night if he has a fit.


The new bed will also have a sensor mat beneath to alert Rebecca if William is having a fit.


Rebecca thanked Helen for setting up the donations site, and Rebeeca’s parents Liz and David Wood, from Northwich, for their support in looking after William on two nights a week.


“It takes two hours to get William to sleep and he can be up for four to five hours in the middle of the night banging his head on the wall and kicking,” said Rebecca.


“He has never slept through since he was born, and my parents are a great support having William two nights a week, which allows me to get some sleep. I also want to thank Helen for what she has done.”


If you would like to support the appeal visit www.justgiving.com/yimby/bedforwilliam#.