Deborah and Adam Gardner from Leigh-on-Sea will be hosting the music fundraiser ‘Arizona Rocks!’ on Saturday 27th August, from 7.30 pm, at the Fisherman’s Chapel in New Road, SS9 2EH, to raise money for their three-year-old son Arizona’s life-changing physiotherapy sessions and Little Havens, the children’s hospice that supports the family.
Deborah was 34 weeks pregnant when doctors predicted that her son Arizona may not survive birth and, if he did, he would be severely disabled. In 2019, Arizona was born with five brain abnormalities and diagnosed with multiple life-long conditions, which means he has significant physical and learning disabilities and relies on his parents for everything.
Although his parents have been told Arizona is unlikely to be able to stand, crawl or walk on his own in the future, there is still hope and every chance he will be able to sit up on his own through intensive physiotherapy, which comes at a cost.
Deborah says: “Unfortunately the wonderful NHS is so stretched that we can’t access enough physiotherapy to give Arizona the best possible shot at reaching this goal. The only way we can get Arizona sitting up confidently and without support is to have weekly private physiotherapy. This costs £131 per week but it’s worth every penny. He’s had eight months so far, thanks to some charity funding and a GoFundMe campaign last year. We’ve already seen him make amazing progress and know he could be sitting independently if we keep at it.
“By attending our fantastic musical fundraiser you will not only have an amazing evening of listening to some of the best local talent but you will also be supporting life-changing therapy for our little boy.”
15% of the proceeds will also go to Little Havens, the children’s hospice based in Benfleet which supports the family with respite and holistic therapies.
Deborah continues, “Little Havens, which is part of the local charity Havens Hospices, relies heavily on donations to provide their specialist hospice care which supports families like ours and hundreds of others across Essex.
“It’s a very special place where we feel safe and understood. And it’s the first place we’ve ever felt confident in leaving Arizona, because we know he’s in the hands of trained professionals who show genuine care and affection. This respite is critical for our physical and mental wellbeing. We’ve also been able to access free counselling sessions from Little Havens’ in-house therapist, which are invaluable. Finding Little Havens truly has been life-changing and that’s why we want to support them in every way we can.”
Arizona Rocks! presents an intimate evening gig, with sets from five local Leigh-on-Sea musicians – Darren Jones, Sheila Lord, The Hoy Shanty Crew, Kev Butler & Dave Crawford, and The Owl Service. Plus, ticketholders will get free refreshments upon arrival.
There’ll also be a chance to enter a prize draw and win some fabulous prizes donated by local businesses – including a trip to the top of the Shard, dinner at Gordon Ramsay’s Bar & Grill, a free massage, photography session, case of wine, artisan pizza vouchers and much more.
Tickets are available now at www.arizonarocks2022.com
Published 8th August 2022
