Ilkley boy's triathlon challenge to help sister with cerebral palsy walk

Lori, who turns three on Friday, has cerebral palsy and is unable to stand unaided

A seven-year-old boy is set to complete a triathlon to raise money for a machine that will help his sister - who has cerebral palsy - to walk.

Elwyn Bullock, from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, has already raised more than £5,000 to help fund the equipment for his two-year-old sister Lori.

Lori is unable to stand unaided, after falling ill with encephalitis as a baby left her with cerebral palsy.

Her family said the Innowalk machine is vital for building her muscle strength.

Elwyn said he wanted to help buy the stationary exercise machine "so hopefully one day we can walk to school together".

He will swim 500m, cycle nine miles (14.5km) and run three miles (4.8km) around his home town on 30 October, ending on the playing fields of Ashlands Primary School, where he is a pupil.

He will be joined by his mum, Rhian, for the swim, dad John for the bike ride, and grandma Barbara for the run - with some of his classmates joining in for the last lap.

Her brother, Elwyn, will complete his challenge on 30 October

Mrs Bullock said: "The Innowalk machine is a bit like a cross trainer but it does the work for you. They cost about £15,000-25,000 new, but we managed to find a second-hand one for sale down in Devon.

"Lori will be able to sit in it and be supported upright while it walks her legs."

She said the machine helps to build muscle and bone density, which is essential in children with cerebral palsy as they are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis and scoliosis.

"When she's walking, it will help with muscle tone and bone density, and when she's running it will give her some cardio, so this will get her heart beating faster," she added.

She said it was her son's idea to do the triathlon for his sister, and they set up a fundraising page with a £3,000 target.

Elwyn will swim 500m, cycle nine miles and run three miles

Elwyn wrote: "My sister developed cerebral palsy when she was two weeks old after a challenging first few weeks in hospital.

"I love my sister very, very much and I would like to raise money to help buy an Innowalk machine to help make her muscles stronger so hopefully one day we can walk to school together."

His efforts have already raised £5,800 towards the cost of the machine - which is not available on the NHS - and its upkeep, as it needs regular adjustments as Lori grows.

Mrs Bullock is friends with another family whose daughter, Wren Steer, uses an Innowalk, after completing their own fundraising challenge.

Wren completed her version of the Great North Run on a loaned machine, covering 13.1 miles (21km) in eight days last year.

As Lori's condition is not going to get worse, the more exercise she can do the stronger she will become, and she hopes to walk with some support by the time she is six.

"Physio, stretching and massage is really important to keep her at her best," Mrs Bullock said, adding Lori is "very determined, very strong willed and really eager to move" and had a "big smile on her face" when she tried the machine a few weeks ago.