Dan Black sacrificed his dream of walking again by giving £20,000 he had raised in donations to a youngster who needed vital surgery.


A selfless paralysed man who raised £20,000 has sacrificed his dream of walking again - by giving all the cash to a disabled child.

Dan Black, 25, was left wheelchair-bound following an horrific cycling accident in 2009.

He and his family have spent the last four years fundraising to pay for pioneering stem cell treatment that could help him walk again.

But Dan has now given up his hope of getting back on his feet after he read about the plight of five-year-old Brecon Vaughan.

Brecon was born with rare spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, which causes stiffness in his legs, poor balance and coordination.
He uses a walking frame to get about and his family need £60,000 for an operation in America to help him walk unaided for the first time.

They have now been given a massive boost after Dan sacrificed his dream - and gave them the £20,000 generous locals and given to help him.

Dan, of Llanvair Discoed, near Chepstow, Monmouthshire, said he helped Brecon because he had a better chance of walking than him.

He said: 'I know for me that things aren't going to get better any time soon. I just wanted to do something that could help someone whose life could get better.

'Brecon can definitely walk, if he has the surgery. I wouldn't wish being paralysed on anyone, so if I can help someone walk, I will.

'While there is hope for Brecon, I will do everything I can, because I don't want to see a young boy suffer.

'I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped me out but this boy needs it more than I do at the moment.

'It would make me very happy to see the difference made to Brecon's life. I just hope when I give the money it encourages others to.'

Dan requires round-the-clock care after being paralysed when he was knocked off his bike by a car as he pedalled to the Tesco where he worked, in 2009.

He broke his C5 vertebrae which left him paralysed from the chest down, but he suffered a stroke as he recovered in hospital which denied him use of his right arm.
Dan's 24-hour care costs around £180,000-a-year and he had been raising money for stem cell treatment.

The treatment is currently in development and while there has been progress in Chinese trials would be at least five years before they could help Dan.

His proud mum, Michaela, said: 'Daniel's standard of life is horrendous - after his accident and stroke, he is paralysed from the chest down, but can only use his left arm.

'It's hearthwarming what Daniel has done. It's crazy that that young lad Brecon could be able to walk, if he had the money.
'Daniel can't walk, not right now, and he accepts that. That little boy needs to be out playing football with his friends in the sunshine, not at home asking his mummy why he can't. I'm so proud of Daniel.'

Little Brecon was placed in a pelvic harness at just five-days-old after he was born with both hips dislocated.

The brave tot wore that pelvic harness for four months and then had three operations by the time he was just 13-months-old.
More than 1,900 children have already had the pioneering procedure that could help him walk unaided.

The procedure, called selective dorsal rhizotomy, is only performed by a surgeon at St Louis Children's Hospital, in Missouri, America.

The family, from nearby Mathern, Chepstow, are desperately trying to find £60,000 to cover surgery costs and the month-long spell in hospital little Brecon will need.

Mum Ann Drewery, 44, said: 'He cannot walk without his walker and relies on a wheelchair if we are going out for the day.'

Dad Rob Vaughan, also 44, said: 'It's heartbreaking for us that he can't play with his friends or do the things a five year-old does.'

Last year, Daniel sued motorist Patrick Barrett for the injuries he sustained in the crash while cycling to work at Chepstow Tesco on the A48. The parties ended up settling an undisclosed sum out of court.

To donate to Brecon's charity fund, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/Brecons-SDR-Journey.

Source: [url]http://uk.news.yahoo.com/selfless-paralysed-man-gives-up-chance-to-walk-again---by-donating-%C2%A320-000-to-disabled-fie-year-old-140141687.html?vp=1#3FRwbn[/url]