**********************************
AN INSPIRATIONAL schoolboy has
learned to play the bagpipes despite being born with a rare condition which
caused paralysis on one side of his face.
Eleven-year-old George Read’s
parents were told by doctors he would not even be able to drink from a straw
after he was diagnosed with Moebius Syndrome.
But the determined youngster set his
sights on mastering the pipes after he was sent home to practise on a chanter
by his school.
Dad Colin, of Inglis Avenue, Port
Seton, told the Courier: “Because of George’s condition, he can’t close his
mouth around the pipes.
“When he first came home with the
chanter he couldn’t get a sound from it, but he was determined.
“The first night he came into the
living room and he had taped his mouth shut at the sides to try and get
something.
“Eventually he worked out a way to
lodge the pipe in the roof of his mouth with his tongue, and play.
“Now he’s moved on to the bagpipes,
and is determined. We’re very proud of him.”
When George’s parents Colin and
Dionne were told he had Moebius Syndrome, they were stunned by how little was
known about the condition.
The rare congenital disorder’s main
feature is the absence of the nerves which control facial expression, allowing
blinking of the eyes and the ability to smile.
Other nerves and muscles can also be
affected by the condition, causing a wide spectrum of symptoms, from difficulty
in chewing and swallowing to speech impediments, hearing and sight sensitivity,
and cleft palates.
It is estimated there are about 200
people with the condition in the UK.
Dionne and Colin, who run BNI
Scotland South and East, set up the Moebius Research Trust to raise funds to
allow research into the condition.
Dionne said: “So little was known
about the condition when George was diagnosed and, while George’s symptoms are
at the lower end of the spectrum, we have met families who need a lot of
support.
“We now have more than 120 people
with the condition on our register and have raised £110,000 towards our
£250,000 goal.
“We hope George’s achievements give
other families hope and show what can be overcome.
“When he was young we were told he’d
never walk on grass, he’d never learn to ride a bicycle and would never drink
from a straw, never mind master the bagpipes.
“He proved the doctors wrong and we
want to be able to tell parents what their children can do, not what they
cannot.”
George plays for Cockenzie and Port
Seton Royal British Legion Pipes and Drums and marched with the band at last
year’s gala day parade.
The Cockenzie Primary pupil has to
wear sunglasses in the sunlight because his eyes are sensitive to light, but he
happily stepped up to show off his piping skills.
And he has been invited to perform
at the Piping Hot Ball later this month in Lanarkshire.
The annual ball raises money for
Maggie’s Centres, and George has been asked to play solos for two guests who
are celebrating their birthdays on the night.
George said: “I enjoy playing the
bagpipes and I want to continue.”
And dad Colin revealed a family
friend is working on a way to make playing even easier for George.
He said: “Because George can’t close
his mouth it takes a lot more puff for him to play; sometimes he looks close to
collapse at the end of a performance.
“A dentist friend is looking into
creating a gumshield with a hole for the pipe to go in, which would make it
easier.”
A concert to raise money for the
Moebius Research Trust is being held in the Eskmills Function Suite,
Musselburgh, tomorrow (Saturday) night.
Electric Eighties play their first
Scottish show, headlining a night which will also feature Edinburgh’s Got
Talent winner Saskia and professional dancers.
******************************************
AN
INSPIRATIONAL schoolboy has learned to play the bagpipes despite being
born with a rare condition which caused paralysis on one side of his
face. - See more at:
http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/roundup/articles/2014/03/07/490875-its-no-longer-a-pipe-dream-for-inspirational-george/?mode=print#sthash.x6Ws3mBO.dpuf
George Read has beaten the odds to master the bagpipes
Eleven-year-old George Read’s parents were told by doctors
he would not even be able to drink from a straw after he was diagnosed
with Moebius Syndrome.
But the determined youngster set his sights on mastering the
pipes after he was sent home to practise on a chanter by his school.
Dad Colin, of Inglis Avenue, Port Seton, told the Courier:
“Because of George’s condition, he can’t close his mouth around the
pipes.
“When he first came home with the chanter he couldn’t get a sound from it, but he was determined.
“The first night he came into the living room and he had taped his mouth shut at the sides to try and get something.
“Eventually he worked out a way to lodge the pipe in the roof of his mouth with his tongue, and play.
“Now he’s moved on to the bagpipes, and is determined. We’re very proud of him.”
When George’s parents Colin and Dionne were told he had
Moebius Syndrome, they were stunned by how little was known about the
condition.
The rare congenital disorder’s main feature is the absence
of the nerves which control facial expression, allowing blinking of the
eyes and the ability to smile.
Other nerves and muscles can also be affected by the
condition, causing a wide spectrum of symptoms, from difficulty in
chewing and swallowing to speech impediments, hearing and sight
sensitivity, and cleft palates.
It is estimated there are about 200 people with the condition in the UK.
Dionne and Colin, who run BNI Scotland South and East, set
up the Moebius Research Trust to raise funds to allow research into the
condition.
Dionne said: “So little was known about the condition when
George was diagnosed and, while George’s symptoms are at the lower end
of the spectrum, we have met families who need a lot of support.
“We now have more than 120 people with the condition on our register and have raised £110,000 towards our £250,000 goal.
“We hope George’s achievements give other families hope and show what can be overcome.
“When he was young we were told he’d never walk on grass,
he’d never learn to ride a bicycle and would never drink from a straw,
never mind master the bagpipes.
“He proved the doctors wrong and we want to be able to tell parents what their children can do, not what they cannot.”
George plays for Cockenzie and Port Seton Royal British
Legion Pipes and Drums and marched with the band at last year’s gala day
parade.
The Cockenzie Primary pupil has to wear sunglasses in the
sunlight because his eyes are sensitive to light, but he happily stepped
up to show off his piping skills.
And he has been invited to perform at the Piping Hot Ball later this month in Lanarkshire.
The annual ball raises money for Maggie’s Centres, and
George has been asked to play solos for two guests who are celebrating
their birthdays on the night.
George said: “I enjoy playing the bagpipes and I want to continue.”
And dad Colin revealed a family friend is working on a way to make playing even easier for George.
He said: “Because George can’t close his mouth it takes a
lot more puff for him to play; sometimes he looks close to collapse at
the end of a performance.
“A dentist friend is looking into creating a gumshield with a hole for the pipe to go in, which would make it easier.”
A concert to raise money for the Moebius Research Trust is
being held in the Eskmills Function Suite, Musselburgh, tomorrow
(Saturday) night.
Electric Eighties play their first Scottish show,
headlining a night which will also feature Edinburgh’s Got Talent winner
Saskia and professional dancers.
- See more at:
http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/roundup/articles/2014/03/07/490875-its-no-longer-a-pipe-dream-for-inspirational-george/#sthash.GG2bXApT.dpuf
George Read has beaten the odds to master the bagpipes
Eleven-year-old George Read’s parents were told by doctors
he would not even be able to drink from a straw after he was diagnosed
with Moebius Syndrome.
But the determined youngster set his sights on mastering the
pipes after he was sent home to practise on a chanter by his school.
Dad Colin, of Inglis Avenue, Port Seton, told the Courier:
“Because of George’s condition, he can’t close his mouth around the
pipes.
“When he first came home with the chanter he couldn’t get a sound from it, but he was determined.
“The first night he came into the living room and he had taped his mouth shut at the sides to try and get something.
“Eventually he worked out a way to lodge the pipe in the roof of his mouth with his tongue, and play.
“Now he’s moved on to the bagpipes, and is determined. We’re very proud of him.”
When George’s parents Colin and Dionne were told he had
Moebius Syndrome, they were stunned by how little was known about the
condition.
The rare congenital disorder’s main feature is the absence
of the nerves which control facial expression, allowing blinking of the
eyes and the ability to smile.
Other nerves and muscles can also be affected by the
condition, causing a wide spectrum of symptoms, from difficulty in
chewing and swallowing to speech impediments, hearing and sight
sensitivity, and cleft palates.
It is estimated there are about 200 people with the condition in the UK.
Dionne and Colin, who run BNI Scotland South and East, set
up the Moebius Research Trust to raise funds to allow research into the
condition.
Dionne said: “So little was known about the condition when
George was diagnosed and, while George’s symptoms are at the lower end
of the spectrum, we have met families who need a lot of support.
“We now have more than 120 people with the condition on our register and have raised £110,000 towards our £250,000 goal.
“We hope George’s achievements give other families hope and show what can be overcome.
“When he was young we were told he’d never walk on grass,
he’d never learn to ride a bicycle and would never drink from a straw,
never mind master the bagpipes.
“He proved the doctors wrong and we want to be able to tell parents what their children can do, not what they cannot.”
George plays for Cockenzie and Port Seton Royal British
Legion Pipes and Drums and marched with the band at last year’s gala day
parade.
The Cockenzie Primary pupil has to wear sunglasses in the
sunlight because his eyes are sensitive to light, but he happily stepped
up to show off his piping skills.
And he has been invited to perform at the Piping Hot Ball later this month in Lanarkshire.
The annual ball raises money for Maggie’s Centres, and
George has been asked to play solos for two guests who are celebrating
their birthdays on the night.
George said: “I enjoy playing the bagpipes and I want to continue.”
And dad Colin revealed a family friend is working on a way to make playing even easier for George.
He said: “Because George can’t close his mouth it takes a
lot more puff for him to play; sometimes he looks close to collapse at
the end of a performance.
“A dentist friend is looking into creating a gumshield with a hole for the pipe to go in, which would make it easier.”
A concert to raise money for the Moebius Research Trust is
being held in the Eskmills Function Suite, Musselburgh, tomorrow
(Saturday) night.
Electric Eighties play their first Scottish show,
headlining a night which will also feature Edinburgh’s Got Talent winner
Saskia and professional dancers.
- See more at:
http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/roundup/articles/2014/03/07/490875-its-no-longer-a-pipe-dream-for-inspirational-george/#sthash.GG2bXApT.dpuf
George Read has beaten the odds to master the bagpipes
Eleven-year-old George Read’s parents were told by doctors
he would not even be able to drink from a straw after he was diagnosed
with Moebius Syndrome.
But the determined youngster set his sights on mastering the
pipes after he was sent home to practise on a chanter by his school.
Dad Colin, of Inglis Avenue, Port Seton, told the Courier:
“Because of George’s condition, he can’t close his mouth around the
pipes.
“When he first came home with the chanter he couldn’t get a sound from it, but he was determined.
“The first night he came into the living room and he had taped his mouth shut at the sides to try and get something.
“Eventually he worked out a way to lodge the pipe in the roof of his mouth with his tongue, and play.
“Now he’s moved on to the bagpipes, and is determined. We’re very proud of him.”
When George’s parents Colin and Dionne were told he had
Moebius Syndrome, they were stunned by how little was known about the
condition.
The rare congenital disorder’s main feature is the absence
of the nerves which control facial expression, allowing blinking of the
eyes and the ability to smile.
Other nerves and muscles can also be affected by the
condition, causing a wide spectrum of symptoms, from difficulty in
chewing and swallowing to speech impediments, hearing and sight
sensitivity, and cleft palates.
It is estimated there are about 200 people with the condition in the UK.
Dionne and Colin, who run BNI Scotland South and East, set
up the Moebius Research Trust to raise funds to allow research into the
condition.
Dionne said: “So little was known about the condition when
George was diagnosed and, while George’s symptoms are at the lower end
of the spectrum, we have met families who need a lot of support.
“We now have more than 120 people with the condition on our register and have raised £110,000 towards our £250,000 goal.
“We hope George’s achievements give other families hope and show what can be overcome.
“When he was young we were told he’d never walk on grass,
he’d never learn to ride a bicycle and would never drink from a straw,
never mind master the bagpipes.
“He proved the doctors wrong and we want to be able to tell parents what their children can do, not what they cannot.”
George plays for Cockenzie and Port Seton Royal British
Legion Pipes and Drums and marched with the band at last year’s gala day
parade.
The Cockenzie Primary pupil has to wear sunglasses in the
sunlight because his eyes are sensitive to light, but he happily stepped
up to show off his piping skills.
And he has been invited to perform at the Piping Hot Ball later this month in Lanarkshire.
The annual ball raises money for Maggie’s Centres, and
George has been asked to play solos for two guests who are celebrating
their birthdays on the night.
George said: “I enjoy playing the bagpipes and I want to continue.”
And dad Colin revealed a family friend is working on a way to make playing even easier for George.
He said: “Because George can’t close his mouth it takes a
lot more puff for him to play; sometimes he looks close to collapse at
the end of a performance.
“A dentist friend is looking into creating a gumshield with a hole for the pipe to go in, which would make it easier.”
A concert to raise money for the Moebius Research Trust is
being held in the Eskmills Function Suite, Musselburgh, tomorrow
(Saturday) night.
Electric Eighties play their first Scottish show,
headlining a night which will also feature Edinburgh’s Got Talent winner
Saskia and professional dancers.
- See more at:
http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/roundup/articles/2014/03/07/490875-its-no-longer-a-pipe-dream-for-inspirational-george/#sthash.GG2bXApT.dpuf
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