Chloe's Story

Helping Chloe achieve her Paralympic Dreams

How Julia's House helps Chloe

Chloe is the only person in the UK to be diagnosed with Stuve-Wiedemann – a rare skeletal disorder present at birth which, it is believed, only affects another five people worldwide. Julia’s House has supported Chloe since 2003 and the unique care that the children’s hospice provides also helped Chloe to compete in the British National Boccia Championships in Cardiff on 17&18 May 2008. With continued support from Julia’s House, Chloe has a hectic calendar of competitions planned across the UK for the remainder of the year.

While at the hospice, Chloe said: “Julia’s House found a Carer at short notice to join me in Montreal, which enabled me to compete. Mandy was friendly and down to earth and we really hit it off. She was not so much a Carer, but a friend. It helped me to meet Liz as she knows what it takes to be a successful athlete and how hard you have to work. I’m nervous about making it to London 2012, but I’ll now be trying my hardest to be there.”

Chloe is just one young person that Julia’s House supports, alongside Jamie Kelly a fellow Boccia GB team member. In 2007 the charity cared for 84 children, amassing some 4,800 hours of care in the community and 2,600 hours of care at the Corfe Mullen hospice. Undoubtedly, the increase from 50 to 65 Carers and the increase in hours of care by nearly 50% last year played an integral part in helping young people like Chloe.