Anonymous donor gives $25K to fund boy’s dream bedroom

By Isobel Williams via SWNS

A mom has been left delighted after a mystery donor pledged $25,000 to "catapult" a fundraiser launched to adapt a young boy's bedroom.

Mom Katherine Slessor-Pavely, 37, says she has no idea who the generous benefactor is - as she doesn't know anyone wealthy enough to give that amount.

But she says the sum means her dream of turning the family garage in Tunbridge Wells, Kent into a space for son Kit Slessor-Pavely might now become a reality.

The four-year-old had a seizure at 18 months old which caused “horrendous” brain damage - leaving him with epilepsy, motor-dysfunction, and partial blindness.

Katherine started fundraising a few years ago with hopes of turning part of the family home into a more accessible ground-floor bedroom and bathroom for Kit.

The project has been quoted at a whopping $135,000 which the family say they cannot afford on their own.

The JustGiving page has currently raised over $30,000 of their $45,000 goal - with help from an anonymous donor who gave $18,000 in one day.

Katherine, who is a primary school teacher, said: “We had this massive donation come in from an unknown source and it was $18,000 which just suddenly catapulted our fundraising.

“I don’t know anyone who is wealthy enough to give that amount.

“I was in a café with my friend, and I came rushing out saying ‘someone has given us £1,700’ and when she got her glasses out she told me ‘no that says £17,000.’

“We were both crying and screaming ‘oh my God’ in the middle of this café. It was amazing.

“It was just crazy because that was more money than we have made in more than two years of fundraising.

“Now we might actually get there.”

Kit had multiple seizures linked to common causes such as tonsillitis and overheating in his first few years of life.

In 2021 he experienced his fifth seizure which lasted two hours and led to inflammation of the brain.

His mom added: “His capabilities are very narrow so he can’t sit up unaided and can’t walk without a walking frame.

“He can’t speak but he can communicate. He can smile, laugh, cry.

“He loves music, he really calms down when he listens to it, and he smiles. He loves lights and intensely watches them.

“There is only a small field of enjoyment for him because he can’t comprehend what is happening.”

The rebuild plans include a specialist $16,000 bath which provides lights, sounds, and bubbles - all of Kit’s favorite things.

Tunbridge Wells borough council has offered $30,000 in a discretionary fund on top of the Disabled Facilities Grant from the government - which is capped at $30,000.

Katherine, however, says this cap should be increased as it is not enough for their needs, and VAT takes a huge chunk of the cash.

She added: “It is really stressful. $30,000 is not going to touch the sides.

“They need to scrap VAT on disability builds. The VAT is $20,000, so of the $30,000 they are sending us we have to send them $20,000 back. It is ludicrous.

“We have got to fundraise all of the rest, which is just crazy really.

“There are so many families in our situation where we are having to spend a lot of time and energy on fundraising, when I really want to be spending it with my son.”

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