Defiant Octavia Sets Big Target for Charity Drive

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A wheelchair-bound schoolgirl is planning to overcome the limitations of her debilitating condition to raise £1 million for charity. Octavia Woodward, 13, of Charlton Musgrove, suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a condition characterised by chronic weakness of the muscles, but plans to drive a pony trap 100 miles from Windsor to her home.

For Octavia, everyday tasks such as brushing her teeth, getting out of bed in the morning and getting dressed are a battle against her condition, which causes a wasting of the muscles. But she is determined that her condition will not limit the enjoyment she gets from life. She is a keen participant of drama and speech classes and loves to drive her carriage towed by her pony, Diddy.

On 2nd November, Octavia spoke in public at the first official conference of the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Trust in Chelsea, London, to explain her aim to raise £1 million, the challenges her condition poses and her hopes to overcome them and lead a fulfilling life.

She told the conference: "Even though I have a bit of a disadvantage to everyone else, I am determined to achieve what I want to achieve. I also want what most girls want, which is to get married and have kids and have a good fulfilling career. I refuse to let Spinal Muscular Atrophy control my life."

In May the pupil of St. Mary's independent girls' school in Shaftesbury, will travel to Windsor with mum Henrietta, dad Timothy and farrier Peter Vincent and begin driving the carriage back to Somerset in stints of 20 miles per day.

Mrs Woodward said: "It is quite something to see how well she drives the carriage, when you consider she has such little strength in her muscles. We are incredibly proud of Octavia."

So far, Octavia has raised £13,207.89 towards her £1 million target, which she will pledge to the SMA Trust's Momentum Campaign. Donations can be made at www.justgiving/octavia-woodward.

Article first published in the Western Gazette

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