SOS helped local boy Harry Newman by generously donating a Sleep Pod so he can sleep comfortably.

Harry aged 5, suffers from Battens Disease; a rare and incurable genetic disorder that affects the nervous system. He has several seizures a day and struggles to swallow and stand up.

Parents Mica and Tom, and four year old sister Sophie look after Harry full time at their family home in Hilton, Derbyshire.

Mica and Tom are friends with an SOS employee, when Managing Director Gordon McQuilton MBE and General Manager Krystyne Czerpak heard about the story, they were more than happy to see what could be done to help make Harry more comfortable:

‘When I heard about Harry’s story, he had no specialist sleeping equipment. This is vital for someone who struggles with seizures, they need to be well supported and held in a comfortable sleeping position to prevent injury during sleeping and of course ensure a better night’s sleep. So we arranged for Harry to be assessed for a Sleep Pod Sleeping System’

Harry being positioned during the assessment process

Harry was assessed at home by Senior Community Equipment Specialist Ross Jakes who tells us about the process:

‘Using the vacuum consolidation technique we took an accurate measurement of Harry in a comfortable sleeping position. Harry was placed on our vacuum bag full of beads – like a giant bean bag. Air is then sucked out of the bag causing it to become mouldable. We then used our latest 3d scanning technology to capture the moulded seat so it can be processed and machined back at our facilities in Tutbury, Staffordshire’

After a few weeks, the finished Sleep Pod was delivered and set up by Ross on a second visit to the family’s home. The Sleep Pod features a Harness to help keep Harry secure during the night and was decorated with a custom made name plaque featuring the number of Harry’s favourite Formula One driver, Lewis Hamilton (number 44).

Harry trying out his new Custom Moulded Sleep Pod, Embroidered with his name and Lewis Hamilton’s race number, 44.

Cuddles with Lewis Hamilton

Harry Newman was in the national papers in April when he got to meet his hero Lewis Hamilton.

Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton spent 20 minutes cradling and hugging him and stayed longer than he was supposed to so he could see Harry when he was more awake after their drive to meet him in Brackley, Northamptonshire.

The meeting with Lewis Hamilton was arranged through British charity Starlight who grant wishes to seriously ill children across the UK.

Mica, Harrys mum says: ‘We let him watch the racing when he has a good day, he loves listening to Lewis race and knows exactly what is going on. When it is on TV at home he sometimes says Go-Go-Go’.

Now Harry can dream about having his own Maclaren race car whilst he sleeps in his brand new number 44 Sleep Pod.

Lewis Hamilton cradling Harry Newman at the race headquarters in Brackley, Northamptonshire.