A local six-year-old boy, who is adjusting to life with a stoma, has raised over £5,000 by walking 10km for a charity that supports children and young people in similar situations.
Riley Smith had a stoma bag fitted to drain urine when he was just two years old, after being diagnosed with Posterior Urethral Valves (PUV) at eight months old. PUV is a condition in which blockages in the urethra prevent the bladder from emptying properly.
Last week, he completed the walk for the charity A Bear Named Buttony, which supports children and young people with stomas by gifting them a bear with a stoma, a book, and, for young adults, a wash bag filled with non-medical items to help them adjust to life with a stoma.
Initially, Riley set out to raise £150 but has exceeded his target, meaning over 200 bears can now be sent to children with the condition.
His mum, Beth Smith, said, “He did brilliantly by walking 10km, he did struggle on the way because he only has little legs!”
Riley, who lives in Melksham and attends Bromham School, has faced health challenges all of his life and took on the fundraising walk to help other children who are just like him.
“He has really struggled with his mental health since having the stoma fitted,” Beth explained. “Since starting the fundraising, he has seen that he can help lots of other children just like him and it’s really helped to take his mind off it.”
He was hospitalised with bacterial meningitis as a baby, has had sepsis twice, and has undergone 11 operations. In 2022, he had spinal surgery to remove a fatty lump suspected of pressing on his spinal cord.
“He is completely incontinent and sometimes finds this difficult to accept,” says Beth. “But he has done amazingly well and has absolutely smashed the fundraising target – it is incredible.”
To support his fundraising journey, visit: https://tinyurl.com/bdxrpvs6.
