Charity cricket match for severely disabled four-year-old

An Acton family is holding a charity cricket match on May 29 at Chiswick Cricket Ground which will include some star Middlesex players, to raise funds for their severely disabled daughter.

Tess Powis, aged 4, was diagnosed with epileptic encephalopathy at the age of three months. She is non-verbal and unable to walk or crawl, has little sight and little external awareness. She suffers over 20 seizures each day and no known cause has been found for her epilepsy to date.

Despite this, she loves to get out in the open air in her wheelchair, listening to music, being in water and spending time with her family.

Medication and other traditional treatments have had little effect, though treatment with medicinal cannabis and a hyperbaric oxygen chamber have seen pick ups in development and a reduction in pain.

Her parents Cathy Malins, 42, a part time investor relations manager, and Leif Powis, 37, a stockbroker, have organised the cricket match to help pay for ongoing therapies.

Cathy said: ‘Like any parents we simply want to do the best for our daughter. For Tess, this means paying for therapies and equipment. While she is resistant to conventional treatment, we are learning all the time about new promising approaches for brain conditions, including some particularly interesting options in America. We refuse to give up on her and will do everything in our power to give her access to these treatments, but all these things are very expensive.’

Leif said: ‘We are so excited to be harnessing the community spirit of cricket to raise funds for life-changing therapies for Tess. The match itself will be in the fast paced T12 style (12 overs per innings) which makes it likely to be a high scoring and exciting game!’

The family, who also have two other children, Teddy, 6 and Patti, 2, has already raised more than £27,000 through a series of events, including a 100km run which took place in Leif’s home country of Australia.

Entry to the cricket match will be free of charge, with food and drink available and guests encouraged to donate what they would like to. There will also be a raffle with prizes including coaching at Lords cricket ground from Middlesex cricket legends Sam Robson and John Simpson, signed cricket merchandise and a three-course lunch for two at the River Café.

The family is being supported by children’s charity Tree of Hope which helps families fundraise for children like Tess with healthcare needs where the NHS can’t support and provides charity status to benefit from gift aid, corporate support whilst also providing donor reassurance.

Gill Gibb, Tree of Hope CEO said: ‘It’s great to see Tess’s family have so much support and we wish them all the best with their fundraising and this fabulous event!’

To donate to Tess’s fund, visit https://www.treeofhope.org.uk/finding-tess/
To find out more about the cricket match, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cricketfortess2023″ https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cricketfortess2023
To find out more about Tess, visit https://www.instagram.com/finding_tess_/