A South Norwood mother is planning to launch her own charity in a bid to improve the quality of care for her severely brain-damaged son.

Jenni Prior, not her real name, is part of a small band of parents with brain-damaged children who are determined to raise funds to build a state-of-the-art care home in the Croydon and Reigate area.

Jenni, from Pittville Gardens, currently has to make an 80-mile round trip to see her son at his care home in Sussex.

But she says the level of care he receives is so inadequate that it prompted her to get her own venture off the ground.

Jenni, 53, does not want to be identified because she fears any criticism of her son's current care could jeopardise his living arrangement.

She said: "My son needs 24-hour care.

"The only way he can communicate is by blinking and he is basically locked inside his own body.

"Before his illness he was a high-flier, an educated and highly-talented advertising copy-writer.

"He now needs high-dependency care but he's just not getting it."

Jenni, and many others, believe there is an essential need for a care home to service this part of the south-east.

She added: "There have been so many neurological and medical breakthroughs that more people are surviving head injuries.

Yet long-term, specialist residential care for head-injured and brain-damaged young people is virtually non-existent.

"The fact that the only care option available is miles away from home speaks volumes and it is a great worry for the families of patients.

"Regular family contact is essential to the well-being and rehabilitation of patients. This is why it is so important for us to launch this project."

Jenni says that although people with legal, financial, building, secretarial and fund-raising skills would be extremely helpful, people with time, commitment and enthusiasm are just as vital.

She said: "Little things, such as making sure the patients can listen to their favourite CD, giving them care and attention they need makes such a difference to their quality of life."

If you can help Jenni's plight in any way, please contact her on 020 8653 8005 or email her on jenni_prior@hotmail.com

November 22, 2001 09:31