A CHARITY has helped a young resident in Reading find joy and strength while fighting for his life in hospital earlier this year.
George Turnbull, 16, faced a severe health problem this year, which saw him spend a month in intensive care and 10 weeks in hospital while he struggled with critical complications.
As a teen who lives with disability, George had been a regular member of music charity Soundabout, which uses music and sound to help those with complex support needs thrive.
He had interacted with the charity through its online services, including live sessions, which helped him to gain independence.
However during his hospital stay, he relied on the Soundabout sessions and recordings to help him through, even decorating the walls of his room with pictures of his favourite practitioner, Ed.
On his last day in hospital, Soundabout arranged for Ed to take part visit, which saw George meeting him in person.
The two took part in two hours of live performance and music-making, which helped George despite still being weak from treatment.
His mum, Davina, said that it was: “Like watching Harry Styles with your child, because [Ed] is that famous in our house.”
George is tactile averse, which means he experiences difficulty and discomfort with certain types of touch, and is also non-verbal.
However through his participation in Soundabout, he has made continued progress to help him grow more confident and comfortable in holding and touching things, including helping his carer to peel an orange.
This was a milestone that Davina directly attributes to George’s engagement with the charity, and said that for him: “Music is like a magic wand– George will do anything for music.”
He now attends weekly in-person sessions with other young people, which has seen him practicing strumming a guitar.
More information about Soundabout and its work, including their winter campaign, Sparkle with Soundabout, is available via: soundabout.org.uk
