Little boy inspires glowing event for World Cerebral Palsy Day

Youngster, 18-month-old Ethan Beadle, has inspired a beaming event which will put the spotlight on cerebral palsy - a condition he has.

His father, Mark, who lives in Biddick Green, South Shields, has arranged for South Shields Town Hall to be lit up in green on Saturday October 6 to mark World Cerebral Palsy Day.

South Tyneside Council has agreed to light up the historic building while Sunderland City Council have also agreed to light Penshaw Monument, the Northern Spire bridge, Keel Square, High Street West and the lighthouse in Cliffe Park after Mark got in touch.

Ethan was diagnosed with left hemiplegia cerebral palsy last year.

Mr Beadle, 28, who lives with wife Alice, said: “We knew there would be a very high chance. Soon after he was born he had a seizure and apnoea which was brought on by a perinatal stroke.

“He was transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary from South Tyneside Hospital critical care baby unit. We realised it was likely going to be cerebral palsy.

“We would like to thank the special care baby unit staff at South Tyneside and the RVI for saving our little boy’s life.”

He added: “Nobody really knows about it until someone they know is diagnosed and then it’s a quick learning curve. Lighting up the buildings is about raising awareness. It’s about the families that it can happen to.

“It can happen if you have a stroke or a head injury at any age. Until it happens to your baby you don’t really know anything about it.”

Ethan is progressing well and recently took his first steps unaided, just in time for his younger brother Harrison being born earlier this month.

Mark, who works for Nissan, said: “I’m a bit of a keen photographer and I’ve taken a lot of pictures of different landmarks which have been lit up for different reasons,” said Mark.

“I’ve had it in the back of my mind for a while and with World Cerebral Palsy Day coming up I wanted to see if I could get local landmarks lit up to help raise awareness.”

Coun Tracey Dixon, lead member for independence and wellbeing at South Tyneside Council, said: “We are pleased to support Cerebral Palsy Day by lighting the Town Hall green.

“By lighting up our beautiful, iconic Town Hall, we are helping to shine a light on this condition and raise awareness of it. By supporting this day, we also seek to celebrate the achievements of those living with cerebral palsy as well as the commitment and effort shown by those who care for them.”

Coun Amy Wilson, portfolio holder for environment and transport of Sunderland City Council, said: “The City Council regularly lights up key structures and landmarks including the National Trust’s Penshaw Monument to help support local and national charities in raising awareness of their cause.

“After being contacted by Ethan’s dad Mark about World Cerebral Palsy Day on Saturday October 6, we were only too happy to agree to lighting Penshaw Monument and other landmarks including Northern Spire bridge, Keel Square and the lighthouse in Cliffe Park green for this very good cause.”